Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening or bleaching procedure is done to remove the staining and whiten the teeth. Smoking, beverages like coffee, tea, and red wine usually cause staining of teeth. Normally, peroxide-based gels are used for teeth whitening procedure. Commonly used products are hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide in varying concentrations. The procedure can be done in office or with a take home kit, which includes bleaching gels with custom trays.
In office procedure – Philips zoom teeth whitening
Firstly, a cheek retractor is placed in the mouth and oral soft tissues are isolated and protected using cotton, gauze and some resin-based products. This is to prevent the lips, gums and cheeks coming into direct contact with bleaching agents. A correct concentration of hydrogen peroxide gel is safely applied over the surfaced of the teeth and is activated by a special LED light. Each application lasts for fifteen minutes and is repeated four times. You can expect at least one shade lighter or few shades lighter as the results vary between individuals. Temporary teeth sensitivity is the side effect of in office teeth whitening.
Take home kit:
A take home kit has bleaching gel syringes and customs trays. The gels can be hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, usually less concentrated than the in-office procedure gels. The patient is instructed on how to use the kit at home. After tooth brushing, the gel is placed inside the custom tray and the tray is placed in the mouth for 20 minutes or sometimes even longer and is done for a few days. A take home kit can be used as an excellent maintenance kit after the In-office procedure.
