With or without teeth whitening treatment, everyone wants a young and beautiful smile, which is associated with white, bright and healthy teeth. The colour of the teeth can sometimes be less pleasant, due to more or less intense variations from yellow to grey.
The dentine, the layer covering the dental crown that is responsible for the colour and shade of the teeth is under the dental enamel. The dentine chroma depends largely on genetic factors. Depending on the thickness, the enamel, which is the outer shell, can change the brightness of the teeth, which appear more or less opaque. Teeth staining is influenced by age, lifestyle and diet, administering of tetracycline, vices and bad habits (smoking, coffee abuse).
Dental whitening is a process included in the aesthetic dentistry. As long as this is not used improperly and it is made on the recommendation and supervision of your dentist, with professional products, there are not any risks for the tooth structure (enamel, dentine, pulp). The bleaching process can lead to a temporary tooth sensitivity, completely reversible after treatment cessation.
Bleaching in the dental office
The whitening treatment conducted in the dental office is an intensive one. The most often used is the one which provides the application on the entire tooth surface of a gel with a high content of active substance, which once exposed to light sources (light bleaching) is activated, releasing oxygen. The light generated by the lamp potentiates the action of teeth whitening products, favouring their deep penetration.
Whitening at home
The teeth whitening treatment done at home is performed without light activation, using specific products. The procedure consists in the use of custom trays in which you have to apply a special gel with a low concentration of active substance. The treatment is preferably performed during the night, with the patient wearing the trays consistently for 8 to 10 nights, depending on the expected result.