Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening; is the process of removing the pigments that give the tooth yellow color from the tooth. Unwanted discoloration and stains on the teeth can have various causes. Over time, yellow-brown staining may occur on the teeth due to frequent consumption of coloring foods and liquids (tea, coffee, cigarettes, etc.); Color change can also be seen due to antibiotic use or trauma during the developmental period. It is also a known fact that grayish discoloration occurs in the teeth over the years due to water loss in the teeth treated with root canal treatment.

Who can teeth whitening be applied to? What should be considered?

The whitening process takes place in the enamel layer. Before starting the procedure, the suitability of teeth for whitening should be analyzed in detail by the physician. The whitening agent should not come into contact with any layer of the tooth except the enamel layer. Enamel cracks, cavities, old fillings on the tooth surface should be treated before whitening and the patient should be informed about this. In some patients, due to various reasons, the enamel layer is very thin, and even the dentin layer of the tooth is exposed in places. Such cases are not suitable for whitening. Apart from these, whitening can be applied in a professional environment to protect the gums and root surfaces of patients with widespread recession in their gums.

How Is Teeth Whitening Applied?

Whitening can be done in two different ways, office type and home type. Office type whitening is applied by the physician in the clinic. The ratio of the whitening active ingredient in the bleaching agent used is much higher than in home bleaching. In this way, it is possible to provide an effective whitening in a short time.

  • First, a gum barrier is applied to protect the gums.
  • Then, the whitening agent is applied to the teeth on the smile line and activated by laser.
  • The process is continued until the patient reaches the desired whiteness stage, in 2 or 3 sessions, one session being 20 minutes.

In home type bleaching;

  • The size of the teeth is taken and the plaque is prepared specifically for the patient.
  • A home-type bleaching agent given by the physician is placed in this plaque and whitening is applied on the brushed clean teeth for 6-8 hours.
  • Since the whitening rate is lower in household type, it is necessary to use it for 2-3 weeks to achieve the desired whiteness.

Home bleaching can be done alone, or it can be done to prolong and support the effect of office whitening.

Is it possible to treat the discoloration of a single tooth with whitening?

Among the causes of discoloration in a single tooth, we can count factors such as trauma, previous root canal treatment, old amalgam fillings, leakage of root canal filling pastes into the dentin canals, and fluorosis. Root canal treated or traumatized teeth lose their vitality over time and become dental. Single tooth whitening is also called devital bleaching.

First of all, the root canal treatment of the tooth is checked, if the root canal treatment has not been done, it is done before whitening. After the necessary radiographic examinations and treatments are completed, an entrance to the tooth is made from its posterior surface. From this opening, the old filling wastes and all pulp tissues in the tooth are cleaned and washed with dental solutions. The whitening agent is placed inside the tooth, and it is covered with a sealed temporary tooth filling. The bleaching agent is kept on the tooth for 3-7 days. The same procedures are repeated for several sessions until the tooth color reaches the desired whiteness. After the tooth color is lightened, the permanent filling of the tooth is made and the opening on the back surface is closed.

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