What is Teeth Whitening?
The first noticeable part of the tooth structure is the tooth enamel. The dentin layer under the enamel is responsible for the color changes that occur on the enamel surface, which can be aesthetically disturbing . Tooth enamel, whose natural color is white, reflects the color of the dentin layer under it with its translucent feature. Over time, the teeth turn yellow or brown under the influence of tobacco products and coloring foods. Such coloring products are made from pulp. They reach the dentin layer, causing further yellowing of the naturally yellow dentin . The color change observed on the enamel surface is actually a reflection of the dentin.
For What Reasons can Teeth Turn Yellow?
- Trauma to tooth enamel
- Some drugs used
- Coloring watery foods such as tea, coffee, red wine, etc.
- Drinks and foods with high acid and sugar content
- inadequate dental care
- Structural factors
- Senile
be corrected with oral and dental health practices such as tooth brushing, flossing, mouthwash, etc. Oral health care routines reduce the effectiveness of the factors that will trigger staining on the teeth. For existing yellowing, teeth whitening, which is called office type, can only be performed by dentists in a clinical setting. No matter how orthodontically correct the shape of the teeth , unless they are of the required whiteness, they are unlikely to look aesthetically pleasing. There are some criteria to be considered in order to perform the teeth whitening procedure applied with chemical agents. The prerequisite is to have healthy teeth and gums. It should be noted that teeth whitening can only be performed on natural teeth. If there are materials such as veneer, bonding ( composite filling), porcelain lamina on the tooth, the teeth whitening procedure is not applied. In addition, problems such as fractures, cracks, and habit of clenching are important in terms of how effective the whitening procedure will be and are taken into account before the application.
How Is Teeth Whitening Performed?
Teeth whitening can be applied in 3 sessions until the determined tooth tone is achieved. Each session must be waited for 15 minutes after the application. The smile line is taken as a basis when determining the area where the whitening process will be applied . The steps to be followed in the procedure can be listed as follows:
1. Color Tone Planning: Although the hue is determined by the patient’s preferences, overdoing it can result in an artificial appearance. Skin and lip color are clues to the ideal tone. The aesthetic dentist will make the necessary guidance regarding the tones that may be suitable.
2. Wearing Protective Apparatus: During the procedure, the gums, tongue, lips and eyes should be isolated and goggles should be worn. Isolating apparatuses are worn to protect the mouth area against chemical agents to be used during application, and to protect the eyes against the light source.
3. Teeth Stone and Tartar Cleaning: Before starting the teeth whitening application, the teeth should be made ready and suitable for application by cleaning the tartar and tartar.
4. Application of the gingival barrier: A protective gel is applied between the gingiva and the teeth in order to protect the gingiva from the chemical-containing whitening agent. All openings in the upper and lower teeth are sealed with gel and hardened by a light source.
5. Application of Teeth Whitening Agent: There is a hydrogen peroxide component in the tooth whitening gel, which has a whitening effect. The whitening agent is applied to the lower and upper tooth surfaces in layers, and light is applied. After waiting for 15 minutes, the applied whitening gels are removed from the teeth with the help of an aspirator. After the teeth are washed, color control is done. If the desired tone is not achieved, the washed teeth are completely dried and the whitening gel is applied again. The process can be repeated up to 3 times.
6. Meeting the Patient with the Mirror: After the targeted color tone is achieved and the chemical agent residues are not left on the tooth surface, all protective apparatus in the mouth area is removed. The result of the application can be observed immediately. The satisfaction of the patient is the biggest success criterion of the application. Satisfaction is hidden in the second smile reflected in the mirror.
What is the Healing Process After Teeth Whitening?
- Complaint about teeth whitening is sudden and instant pain and aches. Applied agents have a sensitizing effect on tooth enamel.
- The pain that may occur can be relieved with the help of painkillers.
- All colored solid and watery foods that may stain teeth should not be consumed for 48 hours. All products with dominant red tones, such as tea, coffee, cola, red wine, sour cherry, tomato paste foods, etc. , are in the banned food category.
- Tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars should be avoided for 48 hours.
- The 2-day period determined for dyed food and tobacco products is a necessity in order not to waste the process. The general advice of doctors in this direction is to be careful for at least 2 weeks.
- After teeth whitening, the doctor will give the necessary warnings and information about the care products that should be used for oral and dental health.
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Succesful Operation
Other Details About Teeth Whitening
Is Teeth Whitening a Painful Procedure?
Complaint felt during the application is generally related to sensitivity rather than pain. Pain and aches described by analogies such as pins and needles or lightning flashes, which are expected to last 24 hours after the procedure and then pass, may also occur during the application. It can be thought of as the effect of ice cream on sensitive teeth. It is a condition that can change depending on the pain threshold of the patient.
Is Teeth Whitening Harmful?
There is a temporary sensitivity effect on the tooth enamel surface. It is not expected to damage tooth enamel, tooth structure and gums. However, if the gingiva is not protected with a gingival barrier carefully and in a way that will not be damaged by the process, the applied chemical agents may damage the gingiva. In addition, at the end of the process, there should be no residue in the application areas that can come into contact with the mouth later. Teeth whitening is harmless as long as it is applied correctly and with care and offers satisfactory results.
Is Teeth Whitening Effective for Stains Caused by Medication?
Teeth whitening is a procedure that can help remove the stained image on the tooth surface . It can be applied to all healthy teeth. Depending on the staining intensity and causes, the dentist will share the necessary information at the examination stage about how much efficiency can be obtained from the whitening process.