What is the best treatment for teeth whitening?

Introduction

Having a gleaming white smile is something that many people desire. Healthy, shiny teeth improve appearance and even increase self-esteem.

Fortunately, there are several treatments available to whiten teeth. Although they are all capable of achieving similar results, their efficiency varies from one to another, depending on a number of factors.

For this reason, it is essential to know the different alternatives available and determine which one is best for your case.

In this article, we will talk about the best teeth whitening treatment and some alternatives.

In-office teeth whitening

In-office whitening, also known as chairside whitening, is generally the best treatment option for lightening the color of teeth. This procedure is performed professionally by a dentist in his dental office.

This aesthetic procedure offers visible results in a short time. However, the time it takes to perform it depends on the case. In some cases, a single 30-60 minute session is sufficient. However, some patients may require two or more sessions to achieve the desired result.

In-office teeth whitening is performed with a special gel containing an active ingredient. This ingredient can be hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Peroxide is an ingredient present in a large number of whitening dental products, such as toothpastes, mouthwashes and whitening strips. However, the concentration of peroxide is much higher in the products used by the dentist. Therefore, they offer faster results and can only be used by a professional.

Benefits of in-office bleaching

One of the benefits of in-office teeth whitening is the speed with which changes are achieved and the eligibility criteria.

Unfortunately, not all patients are good candidates for bleaching. Regardless of the method used, no whitening is capable of modifying the color of existing dental restorations. Teeth whitening in turn tends to cause transient hypersensitivity. If the patient already manifests this condition, bleaching may exacerbate the hypersensitivity.

However, the dentist can determine whether or not the patient is a suitable candidate for the procedure before performing it.

Another great benefit of this type of whitening is the short time it takes to see the results. Although other whitening methods are capable of producing the same or considerably similar results, the other alternatives may take weeks to achieve the desired goal. However, in-office whitening can achieve this in just a few days.

How is in-office bleaching performed?

The dentist begins by using a special shade guide. It is used to determine the desired shade together with the patient.

Subsequently, place a protective barrier on the neck of the teeth. This barrier is called the gingival barrier, which prevents the whitening gel from contacting the gingiva and damaging it. The barrier consists of a special gel that is hardened by the dentist using a light curing light.

Finally, the dentist places the whitening gel on the teeth and leaves it to act for the time stipulated by the manufacturer, according to their instructions. Even so, it is usually 30-60 minutes.

Once the time has elapsed, the dentist removes the gel from the teeth and removes the gingival barrier.

What is the best treatment alternative for in-office whitening?

Over-the-counter whitening products such as whitening strips are the best option after in-office whitening.

This alternative is more economical and also uses peroxide as the active agent. However, although they also use peroxide as an active agent, its concentration is lower and the treatment may take months to produce the expected result.