Typically, teeth whitening procedures start with a dentist. After an In-office examination, the dentist would either do the procedure in his clinic then recommend a home kit for the patients to conduct the treatments or follow up procedures at home. There is however cases when home kits are better used. The following are your guide.
While in-office teeth whitening produce fast results the bleaching agents used contain hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxides are very potent bleaching agents that could cause tooth hypersensitivity and gum irritation. If you have this condition, it is best to use bleaching agents that contain carbamide peroxide. This agent may not be as fast acting but it is far gentler and would likely be recommended by your dentist. Depending also on your condition, the concentration of carbamide peroxide in your bleaching tray could be lowered by your dentist to insure comfort as the teeth is being bleached.
There are many cases where the staining is deep and for the meantime intractable. No amount of bleaching will be effective unless other procedures are conducted first. If ever, the stained tooth will only become more apparent while the surrounding teeth are bleaching white. In cases such as this, the dentist may recommend a home bleaching kit and recommend other alternatives to peroxide bleaching or an intensive home bleaching program. Recommending crowns, veneers and bonds may also be considered.
The teeth tend to become more transparent as it ages. This is particularly apparent with the front teeth as it is the thinnest in the set. Whitening aged teeth requires a different procedure other than bleaching.
While there are 16 shades of teeth, they are divided into two basic types, the yellowish and the greenish. Stains on teeth that are greenish-grey in cast are harder to remove while those that have a yellow cast tend to whiten faster.
Since teeth whitening and bleaching are among the simplest cosmetic procedures and provided you do not have cracks crowns porcelain veneers, special teeth and gum conditions, home kits are advisable provided you start with a low mixture of bleaching agents and water. Peroxides that are sold over the counter have indications and recommendations for the mixture which you could use. There are teeth whitening / bleaching kits that could be had OTC because there are also disadvantages to in-office teeth whitening.
Setting an appointment with the dentist aside from finding the time to sit in a dentist's chair and the follow up sessions that are required could be time constraining to other people. When it is just a simple teeth bleaching program, especially with those who have yellowed teeth only, other alternatives works just a fine. One of the primary considerations aside from time is the cost. While over the counter whitening strips would only cost around $100, in-office whitening averages $650 upwards and take home trays around $400. In-office bleaching could also require follow up sessions and depending on the age, and staining, in-office teeth whitening could produce unpredictable results.
