Why Do Teeth Discolor?
There can be many reasons for the discoloration of teeth. The most frequent of these are aging, consumption of substances that dye the tooth surface (tea, coffee, cigarettes, etc.), discolored old fillings, traumas, etc.
Moreover, antibiotics used in childhood or pregnancy period (tetracycline) and the excessive fluoride consumption are among the reasons for the discoloration of teeth.
To Whom the Teeth Whitening Process Can Be Applied?
The teeth whitening process can be applied to almost everyone. Following the intraoral examination, your doctor will definitely inform you if there is any obstruction. Other than that, the shape and structure of your teeth make you happy,but if you complain about their color, then the teeth whitening may be an ideal treatment option for you.
Is the Teeth Whitening a Safe Process?
Yes. Teeth whitening under the control of a dentist have no damage to the teeth or gums.
In the studies carried out on this subject, no permanent damage or deformation has been observed on the teeth surface of the patient followed up for a period of 6 months after the teeth whitening process.
Is the Teeth Whitening Process a Difficult and Onerous Treatment?
No In particular, teeth whitening performed in the office yields extremely fast and effective results.
I want my teeth to be whitened which methods can I use?
There are 2 methods for teeth whitening:
Office-Type Teeth Whitening: A professional whitening method applied by the dentist in the clinic. It takes about 40 minutes and yields instant results. First, the color of the tooth is preferred before the bleaching process, then the gums are protected with the gingival barrier and whitening gel to the tooth surfaces are applied.
It is activated by light. After the gel is kept in the teeth for a while, the teeth are cleaned and checked. If it is deemed necessary, additional sessions may be required for the intended level of teeth whiteness.
Home-Type Teeth Whitening: is one of the whitening methods that you can apply at home by applying bleaching gel on the bleaching plaques prepared tailor-made by your dentist in the clinic. Plaques are worn at night before bedtime and it is a bleaching process that takes longer than that of the office-type.
The most effective method known is the combined application of office-type and home-type teeth whitening.
What type of tooth whitening method is suitable for me?
Your dentist will produce the correct decision following the intraoral examination. No matter which method is preferred, the initial color of the teeth and the source of discoloration may affect the duration of the bleaching process. The teeth with gray tones (individuals with pigmentation on the teeth), in general, brown and yellow teeth (individuals who consume a lot of coffee, cigarettes and tea), become less whiten.
In order to better understand the whitening of the teeth, it would be an effective way for your dentist to select the color of the teeth at the outset from the color scale and to select the final version from the same color scale when the bleaching process is completed.
Do I need to clean before the bleaching process?
In some cases it may be necessary. For example, for individuals with many teeth stones and surface stains, the dentist may need to perform a cleaning process to lay bare the surface of the teeth before bleaching. The bleaching process provides cleaning of tartar, and teeth discoloration and thereby bleaching agent reach the teeth surface.
How Long Does the Office-Type Teeth Whitening process take?
Office-type teeth whitening process yields a result within the same day with the application of 20-minute and 2-session of bleaching agent. However, it can be supported by additional sessions or home-type whitening, depending on the patient's request or as deemed appropriate by the dentist.
Do I feel pain during the bleaching process?
It is normal to have tooth sensitivity from time to time, however not pain during the procedure and during the day after the bleaching process. But this is a temporary state.
Will my teeth whiten shortly after the teeth bleaching process?
The Teeth whitening period may vary from person to person.For example, yellow-tone teeth are whitened much faster than teeth with grey colored and antibiotic-related discoloration.
However many people's teeth are generally whitened in 2-3 weeks. Otherwise, additional sessions or home-type teeth whitening support may be provided depending on the person's tooth tone.
How long do the effects of teeth whitening last?
If the coffee, smoking, tea etc. are consumed frequently, teeth will be decolorized again in a period of 6 months to 1-year whitening may be required again.
However, the whitening lasts up to 2 years in people who have excellent oral care and stay away from colored foods as much as possible.
Please note that the better you protect, the longer the impact will last!
What are the possible side effects of teeth whitening?
After teeth whitening, there may be a sensitivity that occurs for 24-48 hours. This is natural and temporary. In order to avoid or to minimize this consequence, the dentist may apply fluoride to the patient or recommend desensitizer pastes with potassium nitrate content.
In what cases is teeth whitening not applied?
For individuals with poor oral hygiene, it is necessary first to ensure the mouth and dental health by performing a dental cleaning. Afterwards teeth whitening can be performed.
If there is a structural disorder related to the tooth enamel or dentin (amelogenesis imperfecta, dentinogenesis imperfecta), teeth whitening cannot be performed.
In cases with severe tetracycline stains on teeth, whitening can be effective to a certain degree, but it's impossible to eliminate the stains completely.
Teeth whitening cannot be performed for individuals with broken, cracked,extreme sensitive teeth.
Teeth whitening cannot be performed for individuals with extreme gingival recession, and whose teeth's roots are visible.
From what and how long should I avoid after the whitening process?
You should avoid any food or drink that will create any color on a white shirt.
In particular, it is important to go on white tooth diet (drinking white wine instead of red wine, apple juice instead of cherry juice or cappuccino instead of espresso, avoiding drinks such as coffee, tea, cola, and dishes with tomato sauce, avoiding foods containing acid such as grapefruit lemon etc.) for a period of 2 weeks following the whitening process and to support it with a whitening toothpaste.
It is necessary to consume light-colored foods as much as possible and to avoid very hot and very cold foods in order to prevent sensitivity. The stain accumulates on surfaces over time, and the more we adhere to these criteria, the delayed the next need for whitening will be.
Will the Teeth Return to Their Former State?
How long the teeth will return to their former state depends highly on the patient's oral care and habits.
In an individual with excellent oral care, it will be sufficient to have reinforcement treatment every 2 years.
Is the desired whiteness always achievable?
Yes, it is usually achievable. However, in case of severe antibiotic discoloration or stains, alternative treatment methods that will elevate aesthetics such as laminate veneer (leaf porcelain) or composite veneer can be applied.
Can my discolored tooth be whitened after root canal treatment?
Yes. With the internal bleaching, the whitening gels placed on the crown are extremely effective for the whitening of the discolored teeth with root canal treatment.
Are teeth whitening products purchased from a pharmacy or supermarket effective?
Even if the market products are cheap, the damage to our teeth may cost a pretty penny. For this reason, the whitening process under the control of the dentist would be more effective and safe in all conditions.
Why is teeth whitening not recommended for pregnant women or ones giving birth?
Although no research has been carried out on this subject, the manufacturer companies do not recommend teeth whitening for nursing mothers or pregnant women.
Does the whitening gel also whiten my dental veneers, porcelain and crowns?
Whitening agents yield results only on natural teeth. They do not whiten previously made porcelain teeth or other dentures in the mouth.
To match the color of your newly whitened tooth, the existing dentures in the mouth may need to be replaced.
If my tooth has a bridge or orthodontic braces, would it be a problem for teeth whitening?
Teeth whitening is preferred at the end of orthodontic (braces) treatment.
Except this, if there are dentures in the mouth and they were placed on the posterior region, although the whitening of the anterior region will not cause much trouble in terms of aesthetics, in a patient with anterior region dentures, dentures may aesthetically need to be replaced in order to adapt color to newly whitened teeth.