It is rightly said that a beautiful smile can change everything. Most of the patients who visit Dentist in Panchkula, have this common question – How to get beautiful smile with bright white teeth. There are lot of tooth paste in the market which give advertisement with tooth whitening components in them. But truly speaking, there is lot of difference between professional teeth whitening and home based whitening products. Today in this article we will discuss about the difference between two and which one is better so that all your doubts will get cleared.
Tooth whitening also known as tooth bleaching is a procedure under cosmetic dentistry which deals with removal of extrinsic stains (stains occurred due to consumption of colored and acidic food items and other external factors) using chemicals such as Carbamide peroxide, as it comes in contact with saliva it breaks down to hydrogen peroxide and urea. Hydrogen peroxide produces hydroxyl ions which enter enamel and dentin (the hard portions of the tooth) and breakdown staining compounds through redox reaction giving teeth a whiter appearance.
Techniques
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Internal Bleaching
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Walking Bleach Technique
Used on teeth that are non-vital and are stained because of clotting of blood inside the tooth following any kind of accident/injury. Following the root canal treatment of the tooth, the tooth is isolated and carbamide peroxide is packed inside the tooth for a period of 1-2 weeks. If the patient is satisfied with the result the tooth is restored permanently.
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Thermocatalytic Technique
It is same as walking bleach except that in this thermal light is used for activation of bleaching agent.
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External Bleaching Techniques
This is done on vital teeth which are stained due to consumption of various colored food items.
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In office Bleaching
This is done by the dentist aid helps in whitening of teeth by 2-3 shades. In this technique teeth are dried and a barrier is placed on the gums to avoid any iatrogenic damage. Then carbamide peroxide is applied and is activated by laser light. It is done in 3 cycles of 8 minutes each. In case of extensive staining more than 1 visit can be needed.
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Home Bleaching Technique
This is simple, cost effective but should be done only after seeking professional guidance as otherwise it can cause irreparable damage to thye teeth.
It comes in form of
- Whitening tooth pastes
- Night guard method
- Dental varnishes
- Whitening toothpastes
- Tooth whitening strips
- Tooth whitening gels
- Nightguard Method
The tray is filled with carbamide peroxide gel/paste and placed overteeth for 2-3 hours and is repeated every 2 weeks until the desired result is achieved.
- Tooth Whitening Strips
Applied directly to the tooth with brush once or twice a day for 10-14 days.
Precautions
The results can be maintained by brushing, flossing and rinsing daily. Avoid acidic and tannin rich foods and beverages for next 10-14 days. For example
- Black tea and coffee
- White and red wine
- Turmeric containing food
- Sports drinks
- Carbonated drinks
- Berries and strong colored food items
- Sauces
- Avoid smoking
Advantages
- Enhance your smile
- Improve facial appearance
- Increase self confidence
- Painless procedure
- No loss of tooth structure
Disadvantages
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- Allergy in oral cavity
- Tooth sensitivity for 1-2 weeks
- Trauma to teeth
- Expensive
- Results are temporary
Who all should avoid it
- Pregnant and lactating mothers
- Children below 14 years of age
- Person having resin allergies
- Person with peroxide allergies
- Patients with extremely sensitive teeth
- Patients with cracked teeth
- Patients with extensive restorations
At Tooth Care Dental Clinic,we provide you the best dentist in panchkula. We have a specialized dentist DR AKHIL GUPTA , who does the bleaching procedure. He is masters in esthetic dentistry and he has an experience of 12 years. He mostly uses the bleaching agent which contains de-sensitizing component in it. Hence bleaching procedure does not harm your teeth at all.
We hope this article will help in understanding the teeth bleaching procedure and what all benefits and side effects. We also tried to explain the contraindications of bleaching procedure.