Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is an aesthetic procedure that makes the patient's teeth appear whiter and brighter in the examination environment by the doctor. The more yellow the patient's tooth is, the more successful the result is in the teeth whitening process, which is performed to remove black or yellow stains on the teeth. These yellowings, which are mostly caused by excessive consumption of tea, coffee, and cigarettes, are removed by teeth whitening processes.

Some of these procedures can be done at home (home bleaching), but teeth whitening procedures performed by the physician in the clinic are both more effective and provide more permanent and faster results. Tea, coffee, cigarettes consumed after the procedure will cause a change in the color of the teeth again, so it is necessary to avoid consuming foods containing intense color for 2 weeks, especially after the teeth whitening process.

Teeth whitening treatment methods; office bleaching, home bleaching, single tooth bleaching (internal bleaching) and combined (home+office) bleaching.

For teeth whitening treatment, after the patient’s measurements are taken, transparent plaques that fully enclose the teeth are prepared and whitening gel is applied to these plaques in the amount that the doctor deems appropriate. In order for the gel applied in these processes to overflow and not cause any damage to the gums or the inside of the mouth, the overflowing part should be cleaned with a damp cotton pad. The application time ranges from about 5 to 7 hours; In order to get the best result from the procedure, it is important to follow the doctor’s advice.

In both methods, yellowed teeth are given a white, shiny appearance; However, it would be right for you to decide on the teeth whitening treatment that is suitable for you by consulting with your dentist.

Does teeth whitening give the same result for every tooth color?

In order to get the best results from the process, the yellow or brown spots that have formed give the best results. Apart from that, dark brown and blue-gray discolorations are located in the deepest structures of the tooth and are very difficult to whiten. In order to achieve the desired result in such difficult stains, it is necessary to repeat the teeth whitening process for several sessions.

Teeth whitening How is Office bleaching done?

Teeth whitening Office bleaching is applied for about 2 sessions. However, this situation changes according to the patient’s needs. When applying Office type whitening, 40% hydrogen peroxide is used and it may cause small white burns when it touches the gums and fingers temporarily. For this reason, it is necessary to prevent the whitening substance from overflowing anywhere by isolating the mouth and teeth.

In the office bleaching process, firstly, the patient’s mouth is protected and a substance called gingival protector is squeezed around the gums. In this way, the gums are protected and gel is applied according to the structure and color tone of the tooth, and light sources such as a halogen, LED or laser are used to activate the gel. If necessary, the second session of the teeth whitening process is applied and usually, a sensitivity and pain such as pinprick may occur in the lower anterior teeth of the patients, which is expected.

How is teeth whitening performed?

The most important distinguishing point that separates home teeth whitening from office bleaching is the use of bleaching agents containing less “Carbamide Peroxide” in this process. The doctor should evaluate the physical condition of the teeth and make sure that the gums are healthy, in case of a problem, these problems should be solved first. Also, teeth whitening may not be appropriate in some situations, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, or the use of certain medications.

After deciding that you are suitable for home bleaching, tubes containing the bleaching agent are prepared and the patient is told how to apply it to the patient. The patient applies the drug twice a day for 2 weeks or only at night for 1-2 weeks while sleeping in line with the recommendations of the dentist. Afterwards, weekly check-ups are carried out by the doctor to monitor the progress of the treatment and make necessary changes.

How long does teeth whitening take?

Teeth whitening duration varies according to the patient’s current dental health, which method is used and how dark your teeth are. The effect of teeth whitening methods varies from person to person; however, at-home teeth whitening methods are less effective and may take longer. For example: home procedures usually take between 1 week and 1 month, while teeth whitening performed by the doctor gives faster results and usually one session is sufficient.

In order to increase the effect of the applied teeth whitening methods, it is recommended to brush the teeth regularly and use toothpaste. In addition, it is possible to increase the effectiveness of the teeth whitening process by avoiding cigarettes, coffee, tea and dark-colored drinks and by changing these habits.

How soon can I get the results of the teeth whitening procedure?

The teeth whitening process, performed by the doctor in the office, takes an average of 40 minutes to 1 hour, and the teeth take their final color a few days after the whitening process. In the home-type teeth whitening process, which is made with the gels created by the doctor in the practice and placed on the plaques, results are obtained within 1-2 weeks compared to the gel.

Is teeth whitening permanent?

The permanence of teeth whitening methods varies according to the method used and the general dental health of the person. For example, professional whitening methods usually give more permanent results, while the effect of home bleaching products lasts less. In addition, habits such as excessive smoking, coffee and tea drinking may also cause a decrease in the whitening effect. For this reason, in order to maintain the permanence of the whitening results, it may be necessary to care in accordance with the rules of oral and dental health and to have repetitions at certain intervals.

How to make permanent teeth whitening?

Permanent teeth whitening removes stains and color changes on the teeth by aiming to make the natural colors of the teeth lighter and whiter. While performing the permanent teeth whitening process, first of all, it should be checked whether the patient is suitable for this procedure, and then a plan is created for how much teeth should be whitened. Before the procedure begins, the doctor will clean the teeth and seal any metal restorations (closers, bridges or dental veneers) in the mouth. After the teeth whitening process begins, the dentist applies a whitening gel on the teeth to remove stains and reduce color changes. The whitening gel is applied by placing a plate holder or a special protective cover on the teeth, this cover ensures that the whitening gel is kept on the teeth and the process is more effective.

Is teeth whitening harmful?

Teeth whitening is generally done safely and is preferred by many people, but some side effects may occur during the procedure. These side effects may include temporary pain in the mouth, dry mouth, sensitivity of the teeth, and they usually appear after the teeth whitening process and disappear in a short time.

The results of the procedure usually last between 6 months and 1 year, during which time the color of the teeth begins to fade gradually. For this reason, it may be necessary to periodically repeat the teeth whitening process. To increase the permanence of the process, brushing and flossing regularly will keep the color of your teeth light and white for longer.

What are the teeth whitening treatment methods?

Teeth whitening treatment methods are office type, home type, single tooth whitening (internal whitening) and combined (home + office type) teeth whitening. Home type whitening method is done by applying a whitening gel into the plaque prepared specifically for the person. At-home teeth whitening is applied for 4 to 6 hours a day for ten days. On the other hand, in-office whitening is applied by the doctor in the clinic with laser rays, by placing a plaque in the mouth or a special protective cover on the teeth. This cover ensures that the whitening gel is kept on the teeth and the process is more effective.

Single tooth whitening is a method of applying a whitening gel to a single tooth, and this gel helps to reduce the stains and color changes in the tooth.

The combined teeth whitening method is performed using a plaque holder together with the whitening gel applied to the upper surfaces of the teeth. This plaque increases the effect of the whitening gel on the teeth and ensures that the process is more effective.

What are the prices of teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening prices vary depending on the method to be applied. For example, office type teeth whitening method is around 2,000 TL, while home bleaching is around 1,500 TL. While it is applied with office type laser, it is done with home bleaching gel.