Tooth whitening can be a highly effective, yet very simple way, of lightening the colour of teeth without removing any of the tooth surface. Our tooth whitening experts at Saltdean Dental Health, are trained to offer you a first class service and achieve that bright, white smile you’ve always wanted.
Teeth can become stained or discoloured from frequently drinking tea, coffee and red wine and from smoking, taking certain antibiotics or can simply be part of the aging process. Plaque build-up, tartar, tooth decay, and nerve damage can also discolour teeth. Tooth whitening can be a highly effective, yet very simple way, of lightening the colour of teeth without removing any of the tooth surface.
In a living (non root-treated) tooth the whitening gel is applied into a specially made tray which fits into the mouth like a gum shield. The active whitening ingredient in the gel is normally hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide.
If the tooth has been root treated, the canal, which previously contained the nerve, may be reopened and the whitening gel is put inside it. In both cases, the procedure needs to be repeated until the right shade is reached.
Your dentist will need to make a bespoke custom fitted mouthguard and will need to take impressions for this at the first appointment. After approximately 2 weeks, your custom whitening trays will be ready to fit. Once your dentist has started the treatment, you will have to continue the treatment at home. This will mean applying the bleach regularly over 2-4 weeks for 3-4 hour at a time.
Treatment results may vary depending on the original shade of the teeth. Teeth will tend to darken slightly over time. The effect lasts for around 1 to 3 years, although sometimes it can last longer. Some people find that their teeth are sensitive for the first few days after treatment, but this wears off after a short while.
Over-the-counter kits are not recommended as they contain only a small amount of hydrogen peroxide which makes the product less effective. Some also contain mild acids, while others are abrasive. Although these products are cheaper, whitening is a complicated treatment procedure and should only be carried out by a dentist after a thorough examination and assessment of your teeth. It is very important to follow the instructions your dentist gives you, and to make sure that you go for any follow-up appointments recommended.
Whitening works on natural teeth. It will not work on any type of ‘false’ teeth. This includes dentures, crowns and veneers and also white fillings. If dentures are stained or discoloured, it may be worth visiting the dentist and asking him or her to clean them. Stained veneers, crowns and dentures may need replacing. Again, ask your dentist.
There are now several whitening toothpastes you can buy. Although they do not affect the natural colour of the tooth, they are effective at removing staining and therefore improving the overall appearance of the tooth. Whitening toothpaste may also help to keep up the appearance, once teeth have been professionally whitened.
White fillings are made of composite, consisting of resin and an inorganic material such as glass ceramics or porcelain, and are mainly used to fill cavities. Combined with enamel and dentin bonding techniques, white fillings restore teeth that have become damaged as a result of tooth decay or injury. White fillings are used as an alternative to amalgam fillings, which are aesthetically poor and contain mercury, which could be toxic.
In some cases where a drill may be used, a local anaesthetic or sedative is injected into the gum tissue around the tooth to be filled, so your treatment will be pain-free.
After removing plaque, tartar, decay and existing filling, the treatment site is cleaned and then dried. To aid bonding the tooth surface is etched and coated with a gel and bonding solution. Once prepared, the white composite material is placed into the tooth cavity or area to be filled, and then moulded to fit the tooth contours. A curing light is then used to harden the filler before it is trimmed and polished to look like a natural part of your tooth.
There are two types of white filling – direct and indirect – and they are based on the light used during the curing procedure. Direct white fillings or dental composites are hardened with a curing light after the white filling material is used to fill the cavity and moulded into the tooth’s shape. The direct procedure is used for dental treatments such as gaps, tooth-reshaping and partial tooth crowns. In the indirect procedure, the white filling material is first cured with light in a lab before it is placed within the mouth. This method is used more frequently for tooth cavities, gaps, reshaping, inlays and onlays, bridges, and partial or full crowns.
Inherent risks exist in all dental procedures, but the main concern with white fillings is their durability and potential shrinkage. However, new technology and dental procedures are resulting in stronger, longer-lasting and low-shrinkage white fillings.
The benefits include:
Dental veneers (sometimes called porcelain veneers or dental porcelain laminates) are wafer-thin, custom-made shells of tooth-coloured materials, designed to cover the front of your teeth to improve their appearance. These shells are bonded to the front of the teeth, changing their colour, shape, size, and/or length.
Dental veneers can be made from porcelain or from resin composite materials. Porcelain veneers resist stains better than resin veneers and better mimic the light-reflecting properties of natural teeth. Resin veneers are thinner and require less of the tooth surface to be removed before placement. You will need to discuss the best choice of veneer material with your dentist.
Veneers are routinely used to fix:
Getting a dental veneer usually requires three trips to the dentist – one for a consultation and two to make and apply the veneers. One tooth or many teeth can simultaneously undergo the veneering process described below.