Gone are the days when in-office dental appointments involve only checkups or work such as cavity fillings. Gone also are the days when products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss are the only dental care products available at your local drugstore.
Cosmetic dentistry, especially teeth whitening, is big business, which according to the American Association of Cosmetic Dentistry, is getting bigger. The number of options and services available for teeth whitening deserve some analysis and consideration to help you decide if this procedure is right for you.
Background
Tooth color changes over time as the result of wearing and stains. While teeth whiteners cannot affect wearing, they do function to remove internal and external tooth stains. The most difficult to remove are internal, or intrinsic, stains that form as the result of medications such as tetracycline, aging or an excess of fluoride.
These reasons require stronger whitening methods, often delivered in a dental office setting. External, or extrinsic, stains result from routine wear or personal habits such as coffee drinking or smoking. For these types of tooth stains, at-home whitening treatments you get from your dentist or purchase in a retail store are effective treatment methods.
Active Ingredient
Teeth whiteners use peroxide-based chemicals to remove stains and whiten teeth. Peroxide concentration levels determine how long the whitener can remain on your teeth. Hydrogen peroxide, a chemical consisting of hydrogen and oxygen is a strong and common component for in-office dental treatments. Used in-house, hydrogen peroxide concentration levels vary from 15 to 38 percent, notes YourDentistryGuide.com.
Carbamide peroxide, a chemical consisting of hydrogen, oxygen and urea, is about one-third as strong as hydrogen peroxide and is a common component in milder, at-home teeth whitening treatments. According to the American Dental Association or ADA, at home treatments contain carbamide concentrations of 10, 16 or 22 percent.
Time Frame
While the time frame for treatment depends in large part on the peroxide type and concentrations, other factors such as tooth and gum sensitivity issues and the type and degree of stain also play a part in determining treatment length.
Peroxide-based chemicals can cause your teeth to respond more quickly to hot and cold temperatures. Adding chemicals such as potassium nitrate can decrease but not eliminate this effect. Tooth sensitivity issues happen more often when using hydrogen peroxide in an in-office setting, so your dentist may prescribe a treatment plan that also includes milder, at-home treatments using carbamide peroxide. Depending on the type and degree of stain, this can mean one or two 30-minute to one-hour office visits and four to six months of at-home treatments.
Types
Treatment types vary, even in an office setting. YourGuideToDentistry.com reports that dentists use a number of brand-name whitening systems, all with varying degrees of peroxide concentration. Some also employ the use of light ray technology to assist in removing stain. Among the most popular treatments are systems such as BriteSmile, Opalescence Boost, Sapphire Whitening and Deep Bleach, a process dentists use for severe and internal tooth stains, according to YourDentistryGuide.com.
From the strongest to the most mild, at-home teeth whiteners include tray type whiteners your dentist prescribes or that you purchase in a retail store, as well as whitening strips, brush-on whiteners and whitening toothpaste.
Risks
Three risks are associated with teeth whiteners, due mainly to overuse. These include tooth sensitivity, gum irritation and a condition called "technicolor teeth." Overuse will not result in whiter teeth, but can result in teeth that are extremely sensitive to hot and cold, lead to gum and soft tissue irritation from contact with the bleaching agent and cause uneven bleaching, notes YourDentistryGuide.com.
