Tooth Whitening
The colour of your teeth is determined by your DNA. But, as one gets older, the dentine - the darker porous layer below the enamel that protects the nerves and the blood supply to the tooth - changes colour, becoming more yellow. By applying a whitening agent to the teeth, the carbon backbones of highly pigmented proteins break down into chains. This transforms the organic substance into chemical intermediates that are lighter in colour than the original and simpler molecules that reflect less light.
Power Tooth whitening is carried out in the dental chair according to the method developed by ZOOM! Your teeth are protected and a strong tooth whitening agent is applied to your teeth in 3 passes of 15 minutes. An ultraviolet light is used to enhance the tooth whitening. The advantage of power tooth whitening is that it is carried out in the dental chair and requires less patient cooperation. If increased tooth sensitivity occurs, it is usually only for 24 hours after the procedure. The disadvantage is that due to the limited time the teeth are exposed to the tooth whitening agent, teeth may not be bleached to their full potential. Further power tooth whitening sessions or custom trays may be needed to reach the final result.
Home Tooth Whitening is done with custom made trays that are used at home, usually overnight. This should be undertaken from between 1 week and 3 weeks depending on how much whitening is needed. For most people, this method is very effective. You can expect some increased sensitivity during the weeks of tooth whitening but this soon settles when the treatment is complete or with the help of desensitising products. For both methods a top-up may be needed after the initial treatment, but each individual is different, some needing regular top-ups (once a year) and some never needing top-ups.
It is important to whiten your teeth under your dentists supervision. Don't be tempted to buy kits over the counter or on the Internet. Not only are they not made to fit your mouth exactly, it may be that tooth whitening isn't suitable for you, and the bleach that is sold over the counter is not strong enough to have sufficient effect.
