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- WHITER
TEETH -
Location:
ISTANBUL or ANTALYA / TURKEY
 The
least damaging and most conservative way of making your
teeth lighter is with the use of a whitening solution. Contrary
to what you might think, brushing your teeth harder with
an abrasive toothpaste will not make your teeth whiter,
but rather may darken them faster. The tooth-whitening concept
has been around for many years, and the techniques have
become easier and less expensive to accomplish. Tooth whitening
was noted in the dental literature in the 1920s. The technique
has become easier and the cost has decreased. Today, there
are two convenient methods to whiten dark teeth: At-Home
Whitening and In-Office Whitening.
Why Do Teeth
Get Yellow?
The intrinsic (normal) color of your teeth is related to
the color and thickness of the enamel and dentin, as well
as the types of foods and liquids you ingest. The thinner
the enamel, the darker the underlying dentin; the more coffee,
tea, cola beverages, and red wine you drink, the darker
your teeth will be. Cracks that are commonly found in the
enamel of your teeth may provide a pathway for discoloring
fluids to reach the underlying dentin.
 If
you have a yellow, brown, or orange shade to your teeth,
in most cases it can be made lighter by the whitening procedure.
Whitening works very well in removing age-related darkening
of your teeth. This age-related darkening is most likely
due to years of drinking the darkening beverages, or other
environmental factors, rather than genetics. No drilling
or anesthesia is required for whitening. Your teeth will
not become weaker. Because the mineralization of teeth varies
so much from person to person, there is no way to determine
how many office visits it will take to effect the color
change or how white the teeth will get. The darker your
teeth are, the more time required for the change and the
more distinctive the color change will be.
The whitening procedure
will also work to a lesser degree on teeth with tetracycline
discoloration. We have seen several fair to good results
from both in-office and at-home whitening. It does take
more time to achieve good results on this type of stain,
and unfortunately, sometimes the change is minor.
TWO AVAILABLE
TECHNIQUES
There are two types of whitening available. One is done
by the patient at home, and the other is done by us during
an office visit. They can be done separately or in conjunction
with each other.
IN-OFFICE
POWER WHITENING
Front teeth, the 6 to 10 teeth most easily seen when you
talk or smile, are the teeth that can benefit most from
an in-office “power” tooth whitening. Just as
with back teeth, if there are medium- to large-sized fillings
in the teeth, it is probably better if these teeth were
protected with crowns. The in-office power whitening procedure
is one of the most conservative and least expensive methods
to attempt to lighten tooth color back to a more acceptable
appearance. The procedure involves isolating the teeth to
be whitened and protecting the gum tissues and lips. A whitening
solution is then mixed and applied to the teeth. The type
of application and number of appointments depends on the
type of whitening system we believe will be best in your
situation.
Most patients show
great improvement after only one treatment. Since the protective
biofilm that normally covers the tooth enamel is removed
during the whitening procedure, you should avoid smoking
and drinking pigmented liquids (coffee, tea, red wine) for
about 24 hours after the whitening is completed. After 24
hours, the biofilm is usually back in place. The final color
will usually regress one shade in the first 1 to 3 months,
with most of the change coming in the first week. Some teeth
may need a second appointment (or a combination of in-office
and at-home tray system whitening) to achieve the desired
result. The degree of whitening for any tooth is variable
and impossible to predict. However, recent studies show
that 97% of all patients who whiten their teeth are happy
with the result. The color change should be satisfactory
for 3 to 7 years.
If you have dental
restorations (crowns, bonding), the plastics and porcelain
will not change color. You may need to have some of those
fillings redone once your teeth are lightened. We will let
you know whether you can expect to have some fillings replaced
due to the color change. If you are going to have fillings
replaced, you should wait at least 2 weeks after the whitening
is completed for the tooth color to stabilize before new
restorations are placed. Some postoperative sensitivity
is possible, but it usually disappears quickly. The tooth
enamel or dentin is not damaged by the whitening process.
AT HOME WHITENING
involves using a soft, thin, comfortable mouthguard-like
tray. An impression is made of your teeth, and custom whitening
trays are fabricated. Then at home, you place the whitening
solution in the trays and wear them for an hour or two each
day or sleep with them in place all night. With in-office
whitening, you come to the office for 1 or 2 hours, and
a stronger whitening solution is applied by us and activated
for that time. Usually only one visit is required.
The color change
should last for 3 to 7 years in most people. The color change
you see immediately after the whitening is completed will
regress one shade over the course of 1 to 3 months, with
most of the change taking place in the first week. If you
drink a lot of coffee, tea, cola beverages, red wine, or
if you smoke, the teeth may begin to turn darker again.
When this happens, the whitening process can be repeated.
The possible side
effects include temporary white discoloration of the gum
tissue if the office whitening solution comes into contact
with the gum. This goes away quickly. The teeth may become
slightly sensitive to temperature changes for a short time.
This also goes away quickly. There is no damage to the tooth
enamel, dentin, or pulp from the whitening process. Fillings
and crowns do not whiten. When your teeth change to a lighter
color, you may need to have those fillings and/or crowns
redone. We will let you know whether this is a possibility
before we whiten your teeth. There are no other adverse
effects known.
The teeth that show
when you talk, smile, or eat are the teeth that would benefit
your appearance most if whitened. Usually the top teeth
are whitened because they are much more visible than the
bottom teeth, but both arches can be successfully whitened.
The lower teeth take about three times as long to reach
the color change of the top teeth.
If you have
any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us E-MAIL
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