Many of the most frequently asked questions about aestethic dentistry answered here. If you have any questions that aren't, please do not hesitate to contact us.
What is tooth whitening? Tooth whitening refers to a number of techniques including chemical whitening and mild acid whitening that are used to correct discoloration of the teeth by removing brown and yellow staining. To whiten stained or discoloured teeth, our dentists use one of the many special types of bleach that have been developed for this purpose, varying the strength of the bleaching agent according to the condition and sensitivity of the teeth. First of all your dentist will examine your teeth and gums since it is important to ensure the healthy condition of the oral cavity. Old fillings may need changing; carious teeth will be filled and treated.
What kind of whitening systems are used? SoniWhite (1 hour): Uses unique ultrasonic technology, combined with proprietary ultrasonic whitening gel to produce energy to accelerate the oxygen free radicals to achieve teeth whitening. At first your teeth is polished and a barrier is made. Then it is treated with the SoniWhite until 8 minutes. After the 8th minute the gel in the tray is changed. This is repeated five times. After this the barrier is removed, and the teeth are polished with a desensitivitalise polishgel. It is recommended for not overly stained teeth.
Tray based Opalescence (3-7 days): This technique utilizes a plastic tray that has been fabricated to fit comfortably over a person's teeth. The tray's material is soft plastic foil and therefore it is quite comfortable to wear. Your dentist will explain to you how to use the gel. You will place the bleaching gel (carbamide peroxide) into the tray and the tray is then worn for several hours (usually overnight), allowing the whitening process to take place. Treatment takes between 3-5 days depending on the condition of the teeth.
ZOOM! (1 hour + 3 or more 15 minute sessions): Zoom! is a bleaching process that lightens discoloration of enamel and dentin using plasma light. The complete procedure takes less than an hour. The procedure begins with a preparation period followed as little as by 45 minutes of bleaching. The new system reduces chair-time by 33% with no compromise in results.
Fifty subjects participated in a study that showed that the average shade change with the Zoom! system is 9 shades and that the Zoom! system is "safe and effective for whitening teeth rapidly". In addition, minimal sensitivity was noted during the study, with a significant number of patients reporting no sensitivity. It is recommended for very discoloured teeth.
