 |
|
|||||||||
May 27, 2006
Teeth Whitening: Is it a scam?
by SirGan
 Teeth whitening, also called to as "teeth bleaching" products has become the most popular these last couple of years as a way for dentists to help their patients obtain whiter smiles. This type of teeth bleaching system is usually based on plastic bleaching tray filled with some whitening gel. The bleaching tray is worn for multiple hours per day, for some weeks, while the effects of the teeth whitening process take place. All this is far from cheep! After 3-4 visits, you teeth would be officially declared whiter, and you would be sent home with a $500 - $1,000 bill to pay. Many teeth whitening systems are available, including whitening toothpastes, over-the counter gels, strips and trays, and whitening agents obtained from a dentist. Many people are confused about all this because they aren’t sure that this all is working and that, all this could be nothing more then a scam!
Methods of teeth whiteningThere are essentially two different methods to get whiter teeth:
Dental (In-office) WhiteningThe procedure is rather simple. First, dentist is usually making 'molds' of patient’s teeth, and sends them off to a lab. In 5-10 days receive back your custom fitted mouthpiece. Then a patient would sit in the dental chair for 1-2 hours, with these plastic molds filled with some whitening substance at a very low concentration pressed against your teeth and gums.
Basic tooth whitening involves two different types of whitening techniques:
Peroxide-based whitening products work deep within the tooth to remove discoloration resulting from years of accumulated stain and aging. In addition, peroxide based products will slightly lighten hard-to-reach surface stains. The mechanism is simple -when the peroxide agent contacts the teeth it breaks down and the resulting oxidation action dissolves internal and surface stains and makes the teeth appear whiter and brighter.
The most popular dental whitening procedure is known as Laser Bleaching. It is based on application of a concentrated peroxide gel on patient’s teeth. Then, for the next hour patient sits in a dental chair with mouth wide open, while a special light, usually argon, is shined onto the paste which chemically reacts with the peroxide to complete the bleaching process in as short a time period as possible. It is a proven fact that this procedure really does work! But there are some bad things about this procedure. First, the bill is about $500 - $1,000. Second And patient still need to either come back 6 months later for another whitening.
Home teeth whiteningThe fact that all people should know is that –now it's possible to achieve dental-office quality teeth whitening, in the comfort of your own home. The truth is that, up until a few years ago, teeth whitening was a very complex process, but now- home teeth whitening is an option for most people. There are several different types of home-teeth whitening available:
Brush-on whitening in principal is a great concept. Patient should just brush on the formula, allow it to dry on teeth, and let it stay on teeth overnight. It’s really simple. Although, it can sometimes be effective, in reality, brush-on whitening has two main flaws:
What's so good about this treatment? It is their simplicity of use - they're easy to apply and no preparation is necessary. These strips usually consist of an upper strip and a lower strip each pressed against the outer surface of teeth. Bad thing about them is that they are flat and that’s why they can't reach all the small and hidden sides of teeth, leaving small patches of discoloration!
And then- the whiter your teeth become, the more pronounced those dingy cracks seem!
There is no doubt that these trays are probably the best combination of the most affordable and most efficient tooth whitening available. There are some important facts about these gels:
The concentration of bleaching gel should be at least 21%, which means a whiter result in a shorter period of time! At-home tray teeth whitening can be a safe and effective way for a person to bleach their teeth, but it is important for anyone to realize that all of their whitening treatments will be performed on their own, with absolutely no direct supervision by a dental professional. This is the main flaw! Because of this, anyone bleaching their teeth must be certain that the specific whitener they are using is safe, and that they know how to use this product in an appropriate manner. Failure to meet either one of these conditions could result in damage or harm to the teeth.
Important facts!
Whitening ToothpastesThe fact is that all toothpastes help remove surface stains because they have mild abrasives, but some whitening toothpastes contain gentle polishing or chemical agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. There are some over-the-counter and professional whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide that helps remove stains on the tooth surface as well as stains deep in the tooth.
How Long Do the Whitening Effects Last?It is important to remember that whitening is not permanent. People who expose their teeth to foods and beverages that cause staining may see the whiteness start to fade in as little as 1 month. Those who avoid foods and beverages that stain may be able to wait one year or longer before another whitening treatment is needed. The degree of whiteness will vary from individual to individual depending on the:
Who should not practice teeth whitening?Whitening is not recommended or will be less successful in the following circumstances:
Tips for better teeth-whitening
Risks Associated With Teeth WhiteningThe two side effects that occur most often are:
Good thing about all this is that both of these conditions usually are temporary and disappear within 1 to 3 days of stopping or completing treatment.
|
|
|||||
|
Article sources
|
