TEETH WHITENING SUNNYBANK
Tooth whitening/bleaching can either be for:
- whitening a whole set of teeth
- a single tooth which has discoloured due to the tooth being non-vital. This happens when the tooth has been traumatised, decayed or root-treated (root canal treatment) in the past.
Whitening all your teeth
The two most common ways to whiten your teeth are:
- placing the bleach over the teeth and shining a light over the teeth for about an hour – this is done in the clinic with ZOOM! WHITENING, or
- making a custom made tray to fit over your teeth and leaving it in for an hour a day for 2-3 weeks
Bleaching Trays
Pros
- Very good result
- Relatively quicker – only an hour
- More concentrated bleach is used
Cons
- Sitting still in a dental chair for an hour – can be uncomfortable
- Higher risk of teeth sensitivity and chemical burn to the gums
- May still need to have further treatment with bleaching trays
- More expensive
Pros
- Cheaper
- Convenient – do it at home!
- Do it anytime
- Refill of bleach is cheap
Cons
- A tray in your mouth for 1-2 hours a day for 2-3 weeks
- Slower results
- Weaker bleach
- Results will be noticeable, but gradual
Single tooth/Internal bleaching
When a tooth’s nerve and blood supply is severed (either from trauma or infection), the tooth can potentially start to go darker than the rest of the other teeth. So instead of placing the bleach around the tooth, the bleach can be placed WITHIN the tooth so that it whitens the tooth from the inside out.
When INTERNAL bleaching is decided, the tooth needs to have a root canal treatment done first. Then, the bleaching agent can be sealed within the tooth for several weeks. The bleach can be replenished (about twice) until the desired out come is reached.* At the end of the bleaching stage, the bleaching agent is removed, and a filling is placed to seal the tooth.
*In certain cases, when the desired outcome is not reached, external bleaching, veneers or crowns may need to be considered.
