How it works:
Carbamide Peroxide is the main ingredient in almost all teeth whitening systems. When mixed with water, the compound Hydrogen Peroxide is released. Hydrogen Peroxide is the active ingredient that causes teeth whitening. This method has been found by the FDA and the ADA to do no damage to or weaken the tooth structure.
There are six major methods of which to choose from when considering teeth whitening:
1. Get your teeth polished. Always have the coffee/tea stain professionally cleaned off your teeth before deciding on whether or not you need to bleach your teeth!
2. Zoom Whitening - A very strong concentration of bleach is placed on the teeth. A strong light is then shone on the teeth with the bleach solution. This is reapplied 3 times over the course of an hour. Dr. Bacon had this unit for a short time in his Flagstaff dental office. It caused so much post bleach pain that patients needed medication to get through the next 24 hours. Needless to say we stopped using this technique. Interestingly, research has since shown the light had no effect on the bleaching. Some patients still prefer this method as it often requires a single visit to the office to achieve the desired results.
3. Laser Whitening - For immediate results a strong bleaching gel activated by a laser light may be used. Flagstaff Downtown Dental uses the Laserwhite20 gel in conjunction with a 940nm wavelength laser light. The entire process takes less than an hour. We have found significantly less sensitivity with the laser whitening as opposed to the zoom. For those wanting the immediate results in a single visit, we would highly recommend this method over the Zoom Whitening process.
4. Whitening Toothpaste - Toothpaste with a whitening ingredient has been shown to have little to no effect on achieving a whiter smile. This is because the whitening ingredients interact with the teeth for such a short amount of time and are not able to soak in. Some toothpastes will whiten by abrasion. Although it can remove superficial stains, over time the abrasion may wear down the enamel and damage teeth. It is best and safest to have superficial stains periodically removed by a dental hygienist.
5. Whitening Strips - This is a way to whiten teeth at home. The major disadvantage to this method is the strips adhere better towards the edge of the teeth than by the gum line. Consequently, sometimes teeth don't bleach as well by the gum line.
6. Custom Trays - An effective way to whiten teeth is to have a custom fit tray made at a dental office. In comparison to other home methods, a custom tray better retains the bleach by the gum line where whitening strips may lack adhesion. Just 30-45 minutes a day for 4 or 5 days helps acquire the desired look. Custom trays also give patients the ability to use a desensitizing gel after whitening. If sensitivity does occur after bleaching, it can often be quickly relieved with this method. To make the custom trays, impressions of the teeth can be made in a few minutes and turned into a custom tray within a day. Because you can reuse your tray for years to come, custom trays are less expensive over time than whitening strips!
Fun Facts:
-Dental materials such as porcelain crowns and fillings do not change color and may not match your bleached teeth after treatment. This is a serious consideration prior to whitening.
-Whitening through different forms of Hydrogen Peroxide has a history of over 25 years and has not been found to increase tooth decay or to "weaken" teeth.
-All forms of bleaching may cause some sensitivity. Desensitizing gel may be used after bleaching to helpful after whitening treatment.
-It is not always possible to get the desired whitening effect through the different forms of bleaching. In such cases an alternative is porcelain veneers.
Carbamide Peroxide is the main ingredient in almost all teeth whitening systems. When mixed with water, the compound Hydrogen Peroxide is released. Hydrogen Peroxide is the active ingredient that causes teeth whitening. This method has been found by the FDA and the ADA to do no damage to or weaken the tooth structure.
There are six major methods of which to choose from when considering teeth whitening:
1. Get your teeth polished. Always have the coffee/tea stain professionally cleaned off your teeth before deciding on whether or not you need to bleach your teeth!
2. Zoom Whitening - A very strong concentration of bleach is placed on the teeth. A strong light is then shone on the teeth with the bleach solution. This is reapplied 3 times over the course of an hour. Dr. Bacon had this unit for a short time in his Flagstaff dental office. It caused so much post bleach pain that patients needed medication to get through the next 24 hours. Needless to say we stopped using this technique. Interestingly, research has since shown the light had no effect on the bleaching. Some patients still prefer this method as it often requires a single visit to the office to achieve the desired results.
3. Laser Whitening - For immediate results a strong bleaching gel activated by a laser light may be used. Flagstaff Downtown Dental uses the Laserwhite20 gel in conjunction with a 940nm wavelength laser light. The entire process takes less than an hour. We have found significantly less sensitivity with the laser whitening as opposed to the zoom. For those wanting the immediate results in a single visit, we would highly recommend this method over the Zoom Whitening process.
4. Whitening Toothpaste - Toothpaste with a whitening ingredient has been shown to have little to no effect on achieving a whiter smile. This is because the whitening ingredients interact with the teeth for such a short amount of time and are not able to soak in. Some toothpastes will whiten by abrasion. Although it can remove superficial stains, over time the abrasion may wear down the enamel and damage teeth. It is best and safest to have superficial stains periodically removed by a dental hygienist.
5. Whitening Strips - This is a way to whiten teeth at home. The major disadvantage to this method is the strips adhere better towards the edge of the teeth than by the gum line. Consequently, sometimes teeth don't bleach as well by the gum line.
6. Custom Trays - An effective way to whiten teeth is to have a custom fit tray made at a dental office. In comparison to other home methods, a custom tray better retains the bleach by the gum line where whitening strips may lack adhesion. Just 30-45 minutes a day for 4 or 5 days helps acquire the desired look. Custom trays also give patients the ability to use a desensitizing gel after whitening. If sensitivity does occur after bleaching, it can often be quickly relieved with this method. To make the custom trays, impressions of the teeth can be made in a few minutes and turned into a custom tray within a day. Because you can reuse your tray for years to come, custom trays are less expensive over time than whitening strips!
Fun Facts:
-Dental materials such as porcelain crowns and fillings do not change color and may not match your bleached teeth after treatment. This is a serious consideration prior to whitening.
-Whitening through different forms of Hydrogen Peroxide has a history of over 25 years and has not been found to increase tooth decay or to "weaken" teeth.
-All forms of bleaching may cause some sensitivity. Desensitizing gel may be used after bleaching to helpful after whitening treatment.
-It is not always possible to get the desired whitening effect through the different forms of bleaching. In such cases an alternative is porcelain veneers.
For more information on whitening, you can read
more at our Flagstaff Downtown Dental office's website,
.click here or call us at (928) 774-1168.
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