What is tooth whitening?
Tooth whitening is the removal of teeth stains by bleaching to whiten the teeth.
Will tooth whitening damage my teeth?
No. The majority of the literature and research indicate that home tooth whitening techniques
are effective and safe ways to lighten discoloured teeth.
What types of stains are best suited to tooth whitening?
All types of
stains are suitable for tooth whitening, although darker teeth may take longer to whiten.
Are there any stains that won't respond
to tooth whitening?
Very severe tetracycline stained teeth (in other words teeth that are stained by these antibiotics) may not respond
or have a limited response to tooth whitening.
Response of the Stains to Bleaching: The initial colour of the affected teeth
seems to determine the success or failure of the technique. It appears that the lighter the stain the easier it is to bleach. In order
of easiest to bleach to most difficult: yellow, light grey, light brown, dark yellow, dark brown, grey or black.
It has also been suggested
that, because they are more porous, younger teeth would be easier to bleach than older ones.
Effects on Dentine: Tooth colour
is primarily determined by dentine and can be changed by bleaching treatments. Using carbamide peroxide gel placed directly on
to the enamel will allow a uniform colour change.
How long does tooth whitening last?
Tooth whitening should last
for approximately 18 months to 3 years. The length of time depends on your eating, drinking and smoking habits: tea, coffee, red wine
and smoking cause teeth to discolour more.
Are there any people for whom tooth whitening is not a good idea?
Virtually everyone
wanting to lighten their teeth can benefit from tooth whitening. However your dentist will determine your suitability for the different
techniques. People who have a history of joint problems, extreme sensitivity to hot and cold food or drink, and people with numerous
fracture lines in their teeth may not be good candidates for tooth whitening.
If you have a gum disease, it should be treated
before any tooth whitening procedures are carried out.
Patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding should be excluded from bleaching
procedures because there is lack of information concerning possible effects on the pregnancy.
Steps that your dentist and you will
perform on your teeth:
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1. An impression of your teeth is taken by your dentist. |
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Depending on the level of staining on your teeth, and the health of
your teeth, your dentist would have supplied you with Pola Day in either 3%, 7.5% or 9.5% hydrogen peroxide gel concentrations. This
percentage will be marked on the box. Wear the trays in your mouth for the below corresponding times to the percentage of hydrogen
peroxide in your kit: |
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7. After treatment, remove tray. Rinse tray and mouth with lukewarm water to avoid sensitivity. | |||||||||||||
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Polazing |
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Pola-Soothe | ||||||||||||||||
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Jump start
See the results after a 30 minute session!
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Desensitizer |