Information on at-home teeth whitening
Today there are plenty of teeth whitening methods on offer. At our clinic two methods are applied: at-home whitening by means of whitening splints and LED teeth whitening performed at our clinic by a professional.
What are the factors determining our tooth colour?
The colour of our teeth depends on the following:
- hereditary factors (congenital enamel dysplasia)
- oral hygiene routines (plaque and tartar may cause teeth to discolour )
- lifestyle habits (smoking)
- nutritional habits (red wine, coffee, tea, certain fruits, spices, etc.)
- age (teeth turning yellow due to large-scale mineralisation occurring with age)
- Discoloration due to medications , e. g. antibiotics taken in childhood (tetracycline)
Do there exist efficient and safe at-home whitening practices?
Many people lay store by home remedies such as rubbing the teeth with lemon and brushing with sodium bicarbonate and salt but such practices will only bring on minor changes and have a severely harmful effect on your teeth! Just imagine: would you prefer washing hands with a soapy pumice or liquid soap? In order to preserve your teeth and tooth enamel we discourage availing of these methods.
Why spend huge amounts of money on teeth whitening if this service is available for a fiddling sum of money?
We often come across different teeth whitening treatments on various voucher sites offered for a few euros. Unfortunately these methods fall short of the industry standards. Many of our customers having undergone such treatments have a very a dismissive opinion of them. Material may also be of a questionable quality if a whitening treatment worth 300 Euros is offered for a mere a 30 Euros. There is a great likelihood of the treatment being inefficient, but in a worst case scenario we may also suffer incalculable damage.
How does at-home teeth whitening work?
The most widespread method is splint tooth whitening since it is a lot cheaper than office whitening and offers breathtaking results all the same. We may use the same splint for a few days every year following each tartar removal treatment, only the whitening substance has to be purchased every time. In other words, this is a very budget-friendly solution.
With office and at-home teeth whitening hydrogen- or carbamide-peroxide is used. Entering the tooth enamel, peroxides dissolve into water and oxygen. Oxygen removes contaminations and deposits and thereby ensures the whiteness of the teeth.
What will happen to me in the dental chair if I decide for at-home whitening?
The dentist will examine the condition of your teeth to see if there is any lesion contraindicating the performance of the treatment. If all is fine and the teeth are sound an impression is taken of the teeth for a customised (transparent) splint to be prepared within 24 hours.
Prior to teeth whitening scaling and polishing the tooth enamel are encouraged in order to achieve a lasting and aesthetic result. When handing over the whitening splint and the whitening agents the dentist or the dental technician explains their use at home and hands over a written information sheet.
How long will the at-home teeth whitening treatment last?
An at-home teeth whitening treatment can last anywhere between 7 and 10 days depending on the yellow discoloration of your teeth. The splint will have to be placed on the teeth for 1 to 2 hours daily, with a little whitening substance injected into the splint. With the state-of-the-art whitening substances used overnight placement of the splint is no longer required.
How often can at-home teeth whitening be repeated?
This varies individually as does the extent of discoloration, depending on nutritional habits, hygiene routines, etc. Overall, teeth can by whitened for 2 to 3 days per year. Prior to the treatment, however, tartar removal and polishing are necessary at all events. Teeth whitening should obviously be performed only when and if necessary.
What is the life span of a whitening splint?
The splints may be used for years if no major change occurs in the teeth (such as an orthodontic treatment, or the placement of new crowns, bridges in the mouth), with only the teeth whitening gel required to be purchased each time.
Can fillings and crowns be whitened with this method?
No, unfortunately. Only original teeth and tooth enamel may be whitened. Crowns and fillings can only be whitened by replacing them.
