Are you concerned about stained look of your teeth?
Most staining because different parts of the tooth structure absorb stains from your diet, some of these are tea, coffee, red wine and of course smoking. The enamel (the outer hard surface of the tooth) is porous and allows the staining substances to percolate through into the dentine (the deeper softer layer of tooth). The satins attach to the organic substance of this dentine.
How does this work?
The whitening system works by a process of oxidation. This breaks down the bond between the stains and the organic substance of the dentine. This then allows the tooth to become less stained and therefore whiter and brighter.
We at Six Ways Dental Practice are now able to offer you a method of whitening and brightening your teeth. The system that we use has been extensively been used here in the UK and in the USA.
Is this suitable for all types of staining?
This depends on the type of staining. Staining due to the smoking, diet and age are suitable for this treatment, and especially if the staining is the yellow-brown in colour. Other stains such as tetracycline induced stains which are usually grey-blue in colour are more resistant to this system. This latter type of staining will be lightened and brightened but not change the basic colour of the teeth. Tetracycline staining in particular is difficult to lighten and can take upto 6 months to treat.
This system can also improve fluorosis (white and brown marks on teeth due to excessive fluoride).
Are there any contraindications to this treatment?
Yes there are and these are:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Sensitive teeth due to poor gum health and/or cavities
- Leaking fillings
- Very dark stains (e.g., heavy tetracycline type stains)
For the whitening process to work effectively Gum Health has to be of a very high standard. Absence of plaque, calculus (scale) and surface stains on and in between your teeth will need to be removed.
Your Dentist will recommend treatment by the Dental Hygienist to achieve this state of gum health and you have to be able to maintain this level of hygiene standard.
Your dentist will need to ensure that no fillings are leaking and no cavities are present, and will correct this before the whitening system can be used.
What is the procedure?
Having examined your teeth and gums your Dentist will:
- Take some impressions of your teeth to allow a specialist laboratory to fabricate a custom tray for your teeth
- A shade match will be taken of your teeth at the start to allow careful monitoring of the lightening process
- The custom tray is tried in the mouth and the Dentist will give you specific instructions for the use of the Home Whitening Kit
- You will use the Kit as per your Dentist’s instructions
Most patients will need to wear the custom trays for 5-14 nights depending upon the treatment need and amount of time you are able to wear the trays. Most patients can see a difference on the second day of the treatment.
Are there any problems with the treatment?
Some patients will experience sensitivity to hot and cold (transient), and it is advisable to stop using the system for one day to allow the teeth to recover before you restart using the system.
Is it stable?
As with any biological treatment most patients have reported to have maintained 75% of the whitening at 18 months after the treatment. This is still the case for 63% after 3 years. Should there be need for re-treatment the duration for this is much reduced. If you smoke and drink dark tea, coffee and red wine the staining will return more quickly!
Remenber you cannot change the basic colour of your teeth, you can only whiten and brighten your teeth.
If you wish to know more about this procedure please ask your Dentist.