Whiter teeth can improve our appearance and boost our confidence.
What is it?
Teeth, like hair and skin vary in colour. Some are more yellow or darker than others, even when they are quite healthy.
Teeth often discolour and get darker as we get older. Sometimes they darken if their roots have been damaged or diseased and the nerve of the tooth has “died.” Tooth colour can be effectively lightened with hydrogen peroxide used on either the outside or the inside of root treated teeth.
Tooth whitening is completely safe when using a specially formulated whitening gel from your dentist.
The procedure
Where a tooth has been root treated because the nerve has “died” (through damage or disease) bleaching gel can be placed inside the tooth under a temporary filling.
The bleaching agent remains in the tooth for about a week before being cleaned out and a cosmetic white filling placed.
There are two methods of whitening the outside of teeth- one is at home and the other is “power” whitening in the dentist’s chair.
The tray prevents the jelly from damaging the gum tissue. The trays are placed in your mouth for several hours at a time, on several occasions as instructed by your dentist, usually over several weeks.
It is the best form of lightening the colour of healthy teeth, as there is no removal of tooth tissue in contrast to crowns and veneers which involves changing the shape of the tooth.