Welcome back friends, this would be an eagerly awaited continuation of my previous blog on teeth whitening. Today, I will shed some light in the various techniques used in this process…
Let’s start with the basics, as many of you would already know, for any whitening system to be effective, apart from your dentist’s expertise, it needs time, strength of the solutions and intimate contact with the teeth surface. It works with simple logic, a higher strength solution would take less time to whiten the teeth but in process, can cause increase in teeth sensitivity, gum irritation etc. and a lower strength solution would need more time to act but are gentler to your teeth and gums. Solution contact with the teeth is very important, and all the effort is made that it does not get diluted with saliva or potentially irritates your gum.
Now the question arises, why not use numerous over the counter teeth whitening system available in the stores and avoid a visit to you friendly neighborhood dentist. They do advertise a lot, it must be good, right ? …
Regarding over the counter products, there are hundreds of over the counter products that we can find these days such as strips, trays, gel, pens etc. How do we decide which ones are good and which ones to avoid? Remember the two important things while choosing a solution – strength of the solution and the intimate contact with the teeth. In addition, make sure that the solution is fresh, does not leak, become diluted by saliva or cause any sensitivity or gum irritation.
Over the counter products are mass produced, they are not custom made for you. Your teeth alignment would be very different from your best friend and this requires your dentist to give you an effective whitening treatment, just designed for your teeth, that lasts longer, without causing any discomfort of gum irritation or giving you extra sensitive teeth. It’s an art to use a product that best fits your need and in the right concentration to give you THAT lasting smile which you had always longed for…
Now let me give you a little insight about the teeth whitening process, as done by a professional…
First, there is take home whitening trays- This is consider to be the gold standard in teeth whitening. In this a very well fitted custom whitening tray is fabricated by your dentist according to the shape and alignment of your teeth. The dentist provides you with the whitening solution which you can put in tray and apply on your teeth. The good thing is that you can control the time which you want to wear the tray and the result you want. Remember longer you will wear the tray whiter your teeth will get. So be careful what you wish for.. 🙂
Second, is at office teeth whitening- done by your dentist at the office under close supervision where in a high strength gel is carefully applied to the teeth, it is most useful for people who feels the application too cumbersome with take home tray or those who need instant result for that special occasion in life.
Lastly, there is a method that is the combination of the two, especially for those whose teeth are severely stained and discolored… and yes.. we do take care of those teeth as well.. This method does provide a long lasting result.
Well guess the above information should be good for you all. If you have more questions, and we at Queen Anne Dental understand that, and are here to help you in every way possible. Please feel free to give us a call to clarify your doubts or schedule an appointment with us. We will make sure that its a comfortable experience for you..
Till next time.. Adios….
