Teeth Whitening (Bleaching)
What are the Types of Teeth Whitening?
In general, teeth whitening can be examined in 4 different types.
Type 1 = Office type whitening: This is the type applied in the clinic for a short time (approximately 30-40 minutes) in high concentrations of the whitening agent under the supervision of a physician.
Type 2 = Home whitening: This is the type of whitening applied outside the clinic for a long time (approximately 5-7 days with a minimum of 8 hours of application per day) in low concentrations with specially prepared oral appliances.
Type 3 = Combined whitening: office type whitening followed by home type whitening. It is the most effective whitening method.
Type 4 = Single tooth whitening: Teeth with root canal treatment may show discoloration depending on the agents used. In such teeth, a special whitening agent is placed inside the tooth and effective whitening is achieved on a single tooth.
Period
Although the application method varies depending on the type of bleaching (single session, 30-40 minutes in the office type) / (approximately 5-7 days with a minimum of 8 hours of application per day in the home type), the whitening process is similar.
Teeth whitening occurs when the color pigments in the tooth structure react with oxygen products and lose their effectiveness. After the application of the whitening agent, the color of the tooth becomes 1-1.5 tones lighter and it takes 1-2 weeks for this color to settle. There may be a half-tone decrease in color during the process as a result of the teeth coming into contact with coloring foods again, but the tooth will remain whiter than before the procedure in any case.
Depending on the patient's aesthetic expectations, the whitening process can be repeated once a year.
Is teeth whitening (bleaching) harmful?
Teeth whitening is the loss of effectiveness of the color pigments in the tooth structure as a result of their reaction with oxygen products. Whitening agents applied in appropriate situations and in appropriate amounts under the supervision of a dentist do not cause any harm other than a slight sensitivity for the first 24 hours.
Prohibitions
The first 2 weeks for all types of whitening applied:
All coloring foods such as ketchup, tomato paste, mustard, and sour cherry should be avoided.
All coloring drinks such as tea and coffee should be avoided.
Sugary and/or acidic drinks such as cola and artificial fruit juices should be avoided.
All tobacco and tobacco products should be avoided.
If the prohibitions are not followed, there is a significant decrease in the initial whiteness level.