Teeth whitening
Would you like to have whiter teeth? Bliss Dentistry offers expert teeth whitening services in Hawthorn East, Melbourne.
Teeth whitening or bleaching has been available for many years but has become much easier and more convenient with recent advances.
Why do teeth become discoloured?
Some people's teeth are naturally less white, but environmental factors also play a part in causing teeth to become discoloured. The most common causes of teeth stains are: tobacco, red wine, coffee and tea, soft drinks, beetroot and dark berries and other foods stains and certain medications.
What is teeth whitening?
There are two methods of whitening your teeth. Often patients use both methods of whitening, starting with the power bleach, also know as "in-chair teeth whitening", and then using the take home whitening kit to 'top up'. Both methods are non-invasive and lift stains from the pores of teeth and lighten the colour of natural tooth enamel, leading to the appearance of white, brighter teeth.
Teeth whitening is most successful at removing organic stains that make the teeth look yellow. If your teeth appear more grey, brown or other colours, we may recommend alternative treatments such as veneers.
In-chair teeth whitening
In-chair teeth whitening involves the application of whitening product (i.e. a bleaching gel) directly onto the teeth and the use of heat, special light or laser to activate and/or accelerate the whitening agent. This may be done 3-4 times if necessary.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Teeth whitening or bleaching has been available for many years but has become much easier and more convenient with recent advances.
Why do teeth become discoloured?
Some people's teeth are naturally less white, but environmental factors also play a part in causing teeth to become discoloured. The most common causes of teeth stains are: tobacco, red wine, coffee and tea, soft drinks, beetroot and dark berries and other foods stains and certain medications.
What is teeth whitening?
There are two methods of whitening your teeth. Often patients use both methods of whitening, starting with the power bleach, also know as "in-chair teeth whitening", and then using the take home whitening kit to 'top up'. Both methods are non-invasive and lift stains from the pores of teeth and lighten the colour of natural tooth enamel, leading to the appearance of white, brighter teeth.
Teeth whitening is most successful at removing organic stains that make the teeth look yellow. If your teeth appear more grey, brown or other colours, we may recommend alternative treatments such as veneers.
In-chair teeth whitening
In-chair teeth whitening involves the application of whitening product (i.e. a bleaching gel) directly onto the teeth and the use of heat, special light or laser to activate and/or accelerate the whitening agent. This may be done 3-4 times if necessary.
Advantages:
- The process is normally instantaneous whilst some lightening continues over the next 24 hours. Our BEYOND Bleaching Light can reduce the colour of teeth by 3-4 shades within 30-60 minutes.
- The whitening products used by dentists typically contain stronger concentrations of hydrogen peroxide compared with take-home products. This ensures results within one 60-minute dental treatment.
Disadvantages:
- This process is more expensive than take-home teeth whitening.
- The whitening products may cause a little more sensitivity in some patients in comparison to the take-home whitening kit.
Take-home teeth whitening
Take-home teeth whitening involves the creation of a customised mouth tray to which whitening product is added. The mouth tray is taken home with the whitening product and worn on the teeth at specific intervals (for a minimum of one hour each day) over a period of up to 14 days. The desired lightness of the teeth will depend on the darkness and colour of the teeth at the start.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Take-home teeth whitening involves the creation of a customised mouth tray to which whitening product is added. The mouth tray is taken home with the whitening product and worn on the teeth at specific intervals (for a minimum of one hour each day) over a period of up to 14 days. The desired lightness of the teeth will depend on the darkness and colour of the teeth at the start.
Advantages:
- This process is less expensive than the in-chair teeth whitening process.
- Take-home teeth whitening also causes less sensitivity and can easily be "topped up" later on with minimal cost.
- Wearing the plastic covers is easy and can be done watching television, at work or whilst exercising.
Disadvantages:
- This type of whitening is totally dependant upon the patient using the bleach each day. A patient will not get the correct results if the whitening is not used as per the instructions.
