Tooth whitening

You look great! Your outfit is pretty and I like your hair! – But why are your teeth so yellow?

You would not like to hear these words from anyone, would you? The popularity and demand for tooth whitening is obvious, having bright teeth is as important as a perfect look.

It is not surprising that the demand for tooth whitening first appeared in the U.S.  Film stars cannot have yellow teeth on the screen. For a long time the only solution was to grind down the teeth and attach white crowns. However, it was a rather undesirable treatment option, so they devised new methods to whiten the teeth and achieve the desired outcome without drastic intervention.

Tooth whitening

The bleaching agents can only take effect, if tooth whitening is preceded by scaling (cleaning) and polishing. It is also recommended to replace your amalgam fillings with aesthetic ones. Tooth whitening is not only performed for aesthetic reasons. Previous dental interventions, e.g. root canal treatment, or traumas can cause discoloration of the teeth.

What can cause discolouration of your teeth?

Discolouration can result from various factors. Tartar, certain foods and drinks, or medicines can make your teeth yellow, but genetic causes can also be responsible. Teeth that are not alive can change colour, and taking certain medicines at the time of tooth development can also lead to discolouration. The colour of your teeth is determined by the pigments in the enamel and the dentine, which is the tooth material. Most whitening methods have an effect on these pigments and do not damage the teeth. There is no need for you to worry about yellow teeth. Modern whitening techniques can make your teeth several shades whiter without causing any damage. Fehér Dent Aesthetic Dental Clinic applies one of the latest and most efficient whitening techniques.

How do whitening agents work?

Modern whitening materials (gels) rely on the chemical effect of active oxygen. They are not harmful for your body or the enamel. Their effect usually lasts for 2-3 years. The procedure cannot restore your original tooth colour, it can remove the stains that have accumulated throughout the years as a result of external effects, such as coffee, smoking, dyes in food, etc.
Warning. Avoid using whitening products bought in shops. They are not harmful (although we cannot say it for sure), but you can never achieve the same effect as using professional whitening materials.

TREATMENT

Types of tooth whitening: in-office and at-home treatments
Types of tooth whitening: in-office and at-home treatments

There is a variety of whitening techniques. Apart from the most common type of treatment using a bleaching gel and plasma light, we can whiten your teeth from inside (see below) or apply laser. Although we use laser for other types of treatment, we have more efficient methods to whiten your teeth.

In-office whitening (whitening gel +UV light)
In-office whitening (whitening gel +UV light)

It is a simple, fast and safe treatment that most people can afford.
Your teeth can get 7-12 shades whiter in about 45-60 minutes.
We apply the whitening material to the teeth and light cure it to activate the bleach. The whole procedure involves three 15-minute treatments.
Fehér Dent Aesthetic Dental Clinic applies the most efficient whitening technique using a state-of-the-art American ZOOM2 UV lamp and gel system.

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What are the steps of in-office whitening?

  • First we check your teeth, fill all cavities and remove tartar or any other deposits from the teeth.
  • We determine your original tooth colour using a tooth shade guide.
  • We protect the gum with light cured rubber dam.
  • After cleaning and drying the tooth surface, we apply the gel evenly. This gel will not be harmful to the enamel or the tooth material.
  • We light cure the gel on the teeth with a ZOOM2 UV lamp for 15 minutes and wash the teeth. We repeat the procedure twice, so the whole process takes 45-60 minutes.

Finally, we determine the new tooth colour to be able to see the change. We can achieve 7-12 shade whiter teeth with this method. Avoid consuming coffee, tea or soft drinks and food that contain dyes for 2-3 days after the intervention. Do not smoke either.  You can preserve the whiteness of your teeth with good oral hygiene practices, appropriate diet and healthy lifestyle.

Tooth whitening at home

  • It takes 10-14 days to whiten your teeth at home. The treatment can be suspended if it is necessary and continued later.
  • We prepare you a custom-made tray that fits your teeth perfectly.
  • You fill the tray with whitening gel and place it on your teeth.
  • At-home whitening can be an additional treatment to in-office whitening, or it can be performed to refresh the colour.
  • You can wear the tray during the day or at night, whichever is more convenient for you.

If you choose to whiten your teeth at home, you are recommended to have the process checked by your dentists. This way you can avoid damaging your teeth with highly irritant bleaches. An advantage of at-home whitening is that you can whiten back teeth as well. However, the treatment takes longer, which might be discouraging for those who would like to achieve immediate result. Because the treatment is longer, it is less gentle to your teeth. Wearing the tray may be rather uncomfortable, and sensitivity can persist longer.

Whitening after root canal treatment at Fehér Dent Aesthetic Dental Clinic

Root canal treatment involves removing the nerves and blood vessels from your tooth, which causes some bleeding. Because of this, red blood cells can get into the root canal. They break down after a while and the iron they contain can cause greyish-black discolouration. Seepage of the filling material as a result of improper closure can also discolour the crown. Tooth whitening can help restore the colour and the tooth does not require a crown.

How is whitening performed after root canal treatment?

  • We remove the temporary filling that protects the filling in the root canal.
  • We remove the discoloured part and the remnants of the temporary filling and the root canal filling from inside the crown
  • We close the root canal with cement to prevent the whitening material from getting into the bone through the canal.
  • We fill the whole with whitening material used for internal bleaching, and cover it with a temporary filling for 4-5 days.
  • We repeat the procedure 2-3 times to achieve a desired effect. After that we place a permanent filling into the crown.

With this treatment we can whiten teeth after root canal treatment and achieve an aesthetic result without grinding down teeth and placing a crown. Fehér Dent Aesthetic Dental Clinic in Szeged can help you smile happily.