Teeth Whitening - Dental Procedures Reviewed
Bianca Tavares
Many people have discoloured teeth to a lesser or greater degree. This discoloration can be due to a combination of many causes, for example from smoking, drinking tea and coffee and even from mineral deposits found in normal drinking water. The effect of all these things is cumulative over time. But help is at hand with a variety of tooth whitening procedures now being available, ranging from inexpensive home treatments, to much more expensive techniques performed by your dentist.
It should be pointed out that teeth whitening is a dental procedure that is purely cosmetic in nature. It is not necessary to have brilliant white teeth for you to remain in good health.
Broadly speaking teeth whitening embraces a range of cosmetic dental procedures the objective of which is to change tooth color to a whiter shade. The most basic procedures involve simply the efficient use of a whitening toothpaste, gels or strips, a variety of which can be found at pharmacies and stores in most towns. These can in fact be very effective for reducing lesser discolorations in many cases. Then there are also the various surgery procedures, including bleaching and whitening by laser.
The results of teeth whitening procedures will very dependant upon the precise nature of the discoloration, the teeth themselves and several other factors. All that can be guaranteed is that your teeth will be restored to a lighter shade than before. Some products will have only a slight effect whilst others, including the more expensive procedures, will have a far more pronounced impact on the color of your teeth.
Several products easily obtained in the shops will have only limited effect, only really addressing surface discoloration of the teeth without actively working more deeply. For a more penetrating whitening, the bleaching process can be much more effective, dealing with discoloration even caused by other health issues and even inherited discoloration. One problem which ought to be mentioned is that, with all basic whitening procedures such as described here, obtaining a uniform white color across all teeth is difficult to achieve, if at the outset the discoloration itself is not uniform.
Basic teeth whitening procedures will simply remove stains. However in the dental surgery, the most frequently used whitening procedure is bleaching. This is carried out by fitting a tray over the teeth which contains a carbamide peroxide gel. As the gel chemically decomposes, oxygen is released into the teeth, which then has the effect of bleaching the discolorations. No change is made to the tooth structure and no effect will be seen in the color of crowns, fillings, bonding agents, etc. Bleaching tends to succeed well with yellowing teeth, but much less well with brown or graying teeth. Teeth can also become temporarily more sensitive after the bleaching procedure. A more sophistic procedure for addressing a variety of discoloration issues is laser whitening.
It is typically necessary to have the whitening procedure repeated at regular intervals, so as to prevent the discoloration returning. Also note that whilst some procedures can be undertaken in their entirety in one session, others might require two or more return visits to the dentist before they are finished, depending upon the degree of whiteness required.
The cost of tooth whitening procedures varies considerably from product to product and from dentist to dentist; from a couple of dollars for a tube of whitening toothpaste to many hundreds of dollars for bleaching and laser whitening, with the whole gamut of prices in between. Whitening your teeth at home is obviously the cheaper option and a variety of kits are available for purchase which do just that. Alternatively, your dentist might have available slightly more powerful whitening agents that you can buy. However the best results will normally be obtained by having your dentist carry out the procedure using the latest technology. Obviously at a certain cost, but there will normally be a big difference in results. Unfortunately, since a purely cosmetic procedure, insurance is unlikely to cover tooth whitening.
When considering tooth whitening, don't be afraid to consult with your dentist as to the range of options available and the best option in your particular situation. Also ask about the likely outcome of the whitening procedures. Finally, it is wise to beware of false claims that might be made for various purchased whitening kits. Best results will almost always be obtained in your dentist's surgery.
For further information on caring for your teeth, oral hygiene and http://www.londonholisticdental.com/gallery.whitening.html tooth whitening London, please contact a professional holistic dentist and http://www.londonholisticdental.com/) cosmetic dentist london.
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