Today the number of patients consulting a dentist with esthetic anxieties have increased. One of the most frequently encountered esthetic problems is the discoloration of teeth. The transition of tooth color from its normal white tone in various grades to yellow, brown and grey are completely undesired situations.

The color of human teeth varies just like the skin color. Some people congenitally have white teeth whereas some others are born with darker teeth colors. Our tooth color can change as a result of the antibiotics taken by our mother during pregnancy or the fluor density of the drinking water can be a cause of the dark color.

The whitening process of teeth which have been discolored due to a variety of reasons is called bleaching. With the latest developments in dentistry, it is now possible to obtain completely white teeth...

The most important thing about this procedure is to preserve the wellness of teeth while bleaching and not allow them to be damaged…This steadily growing field which we can name as ‘teeth whitening market’ is so brutal and relentless that the society and human health are ignored and the commercial point of view is predominant most of the time. People who want to attain white teeth and smile freely are fooled with unrealistic promises and various methods and are being forced to use completely unhealthy materials without any advise. As a consequence, they have to be satisfied with short lasting whitenings which fade quickly and moreover they are not even aware that their teeth suffer heavy structural deterioration.

All bleaching methods should strictly be used under the control of a dentist. It should be kept in mind that every material which is used unconsciously may cause irreversible health problems. Unfortunately, all bleaching methods provided from the market, bought from internet and tv commercials, sold in pharmacies and markets are almost completely harmful materials. These methods supply a short term whitening and the tooth color returns back to its original after a short time, moreover the tooth structure is destroyed along with becoming more vulnerable to decay.

Stains which have adhered to the tooth surface due to smoking, tea and coffee can be eliminated by the cleansing procedure done by the dentist. But the discolorations which have penetrated into the tooth can’t be taken off with surface cleaning. In cases of interior discolorations, teeth whitening procedure steps in.

The required bleaching procedure for the teeth is to keep them in contact with specific amounts of whitening gel in certain concentrations.

The bleaching procedure is done in two different ways:

1- Home Bleaching:

A special transparent plastic tray is prepared on the impression obtained from the patient.

A suitable whitening gel is placed into this tray and the tray is placed into the mouth.

The tray stays in the mouth for approximately 4 hours and during this interval it is provided that the gel stays in contact with the teeth.

The tray is taken out of the mouth, the teeth are brushed and the tray is cleaned.

The change in the teeth color is noticeable on the first day, but generally at the end of a 3-4 day procedure the intended color is obtained.

Office Bleaching:

This bleaching method is applied by the dentist at his office and consists of a 40-50 mn single session. The method is based on the activation of hydrogen peroxide by heat or light. A beam is applied on the whitening material applied onto the teeth which accelerates the process.

The points which should be taken into consideration in tooth bleaching

* Both methods have their own application fields. The appropriate method for the patient should be determined by the dentist.

* The gel used in tooth bleaching should absolutely contact solid and non-damaged tooth surface. Prior to the treatment the present teeth should be examined by the dentist and any problems of decay or crack should be treated. Otherwise, the penetration of the whitening gel into the deeper tissues of the tooth will cause serious problems.

* The gels prepared for tooth bleaching are produced solely for tooth enamel contact. In case they overflow from the edges of the tray and contact soft tissues like the lips, cheeks and tongue, they may cause irritations. Therefore, the tray for the gel to be placed in, should strictly be prepared by the dentist with a precise impression. The application tray of the materials purchased from the pharmacies, tv and internet are not custom made. As these trays are prepared to fit every mouth, they are rather large without any gingival protection quality and overflow of the gel is inevitable. Due to this reason the concentration of the gels sold in the pharmacies are quite low. In other words, their whitening property is almost negligible. They only cause a slight brightness on your teeth at first sight which quickly diminishes shortly.

Therefore, it is highly recommended that you consult an experienced and trustworthy dentist before you decide for bleaching. You should ask for help at centers which use FDA certified, scientifically approved products which have been presented to the market based on clinical studies.

At our clinic, the product of our choice is Opalescence. This product has been utilized for more than 20 years by millions of people worldwide and it is the only brand which has proven itself with its results and certified by national and international universities.

Unlike other whitening materials Opalescence contains %20 water. Due to this property, it doesn’t cause any irritation on the teeth, doesn’t cause cracks on the enamel by depriving it of water and while water replaces the coloring agent it is natural and permanent.

The research done in 2006 by AADR (International Association of Dental Research) has demonstrated that Opalescence PF,
- Decreases sensibility.
- Preserves enamel health.
- Has caries preventive properties.
- Increases enamel strength.

Who are not good candidates for teeth whitening?

It is not convenient to apply teeth whitening to pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers as no research has been done under this topic. Apart from this, children under 14 are not good candidates for the application.

The information contained in the site is to inform about dentistry and treatment methods.
This information is definitely not a substitute for the physician to examine the patient for medical purposes or to make a diagnosis.