It is a process of bleaching the teeth where acquired stains and dullness of teeth are cleared resulting in a natural bright teeth.
Types of Bleaching / Teeth Whitening:
Who are theideal patients for dental bleaching teeth whitening?
Dental bleaching is a process of regaining the teeth’s original natural colour Acquired stains like food and spices stains, stains from aerated flavored drinks, tobacco stains due to smoking and pan chewing, stains due to medicines like tetracycline and some ayurvedic medicines, aging etc causes dullness and yellowness of teeth. These can be cleared resulting in bright teeth.
– Mild to moderate Fluorosis can be treated by dental bleaching
Who are the patients that are not ideal for bleaching/teeth whitening?
– Patients with existing tooth sensitivity are advised not to undergo bleaching till the sensitivity is completely treated.
– Chronic smokers and tobacco chewers are not ideal candidates for bleaching as the results may not last long.
– Severe Fluorosis conditions will not have good results from bleaching procedure.
Will bleaching or teeth whitening procedures always result in pure white smile?
– Natural yellow teeth due to the translucency of the enamel are the refraction of the inner yellow dentin. These yellow teeth cannot be whitened with a bleaching process as it is not an extrinsic stain. Other treatment options like dental veneering and bonding are available for such situations. – Fair skinned people generally have yellow appearance for their teeth than dark or tan skinned people who generally have brighter teeth.
– The effect of bleaching varies from person to person according to the severity of the existing condition.
– The results last for a period of 6 months to I.5 years depending on the habits and oral maintenance
– Dental veneering and dental bonding is also an approach to achieve white teeth.
What is the difference in whiteness achieved by bleaching and veneering/bonding?
A dental bleaching removes the yellow or brown stains and exposes the actual colour of teeth. Note that colour is not added on to teeth. It is a simple procedure and the colour of teeth is natural. Result of bleaching is not predetermined exactly. Will have to repeat the procedure ie, six months to one and a half years as the colour gets dull or yellowish due to various habits.
An appropriate coloured veneer is attached on to tooth’s outer surface. The colour does not fade off. The results can be determined prior to the treatment. The usual life of veneers varies from seven to ten years or more depending up on the care and oral maintenance.
