Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Laser Tooth Whitening
- Is
professional laser tooth whitening safe?
- How
does the laser tooth whitening gel work?
- Is
laser tooth whitening suitable for everybody?
- How
long does the treatment take?
- How
long does professional Laser tooth whitening last?
- Do
I have to consult my dentist in any case?
- What
kind of whitening results can be expected with professional
teeth whitening treatments?
- How
many professional whitening treatments will a person need?
- Why
are some professional teeth whitening systems followed up
with an at-home whitener as well?
Is professional Laser
tooth whitening safe?
According to the lastest scientific findings it damages neither
teeth and gums nor existing fillings you may have.
How does the laser tooth
whitening gel work?
After examination by your dentist, your teeth will be cleaned.
The teeth will be applied with a bleaching gel. The laser
will be used to activate the gel then the gel releases oxygen
that bleaches teeth discolorations in a gentle way, less heat
and less sensitivity to the teeth.
Is laser tooth whitening
suitable for everybody?
No. Always consult your dentist. Certain groups of people
such as infants, pregnant women and nursing mothers must not
be treated. Your dentist will advise you as to whether laser
tooth whitening is suitable for you.
How long does the treatment
take?
The laser tooth whitening should be finished within one hour.
How long does professional
laser tooth whitening last?
This is very much related to your lifestyle. The blenching
effect normally lasts between one and four years. The kind
of food and drinks you consume, smoking habits, age and dental
hygiene strongly influence the duration of the bleaching effect.
Frequently drinking coffee, tea, or red wine as well as smoking
can bring discolorations back quite quickly.
Do I have to consult my
dentist in any case?
Yes. Your dentist can examine and work out the right dosage
and treatment schedule. Advise from the practice team helps
to avoid side effects and to control the results of the treatment.
What kind of whitening
results can be expected with professional teeth whitening
treatments?
There is no question that in the vast majority of cases teeth
whitening with peroxide-based whiteners will produce results.
The level of whitening obtained from the professional bleaching
treatments is on par and similar in nature to those results
you could achieve with a tray-based at-home teeth whitening
system. The big advantage of professional whitening treatments
is not the degree of lightening but the fact that you will
experience the whitening effect immediately.
How many professional
whitening treatments will a person need?
Sometimes dentists and/or the manufacturers of professional
teeth whitening systems advertise their products as "one
visit, one hour" type teeth whitening. One hour of professional
in-office teeth bleaching treatment would be expected to provide
a color change in a person's teeth.
The other side of this discussion is to state that it has
been reported in dental literature that the average number
of professional whitening treatments needed to "make
the patients happy" was three. While results were seen
after a single visit, it typically took between two to six
in-office bleaching appointments to reach "maximum whiteness".
When determining if professional teeth bleaching treatments
are the best whitening option for you, you should take into
consideration that more than one whitening treatment might
be needed. These extra appointments will require further time
commitment and cost on your part.
Why are some professional
teeth whitening systems followed up with an at-home whitener
as well?
The protocol for some professional teeth whitening systems
includes both in-office and at-home whitening treatments.
This is becuase:
1) Some of the immediate tooth color change achieved by professional
teeth whitening treatments may actually be due to a dehydration
effect.
2) It can often take between two and six in-office bleaching
treatments before a patient is satisfied with the degree of
whitening that has been achieved.
The dentist / whitening product manufacturer is relying on
the in-office bleaching treatment to provide a quick and noticeable
color change. The at-home teeth whitening treatments the patient
performs on their own helps to compensate for the short-term
color relapse due to the loss of the tooth dehydration effect.
Additionally, the at-home treatments take the total whitening
effect possible for that person from using peroxide-based
whiteners to its endpoint.
Professional teeth whitening treatments are characteristically
performed on those teeth towards the front of a person's mouth.
An important step associated with the safety of professional
teeth whitening treatments is that the dentist isolates the
teeth being bleached so that the whitener does not come into
contact with the patient's soft tissues (gums, cheeks, and
lips). This isolation is much more difficult to achieve with
back teeth than with front teeth and this is why back teeth
are often not treated during professional teeth whitening
sessions.
There can be instances where a person's back teeth (especially
their upper molars) do show prominently when they smile yet
these teeth have not included in the whitening process. If
this is the case the overall appearance of the patient's smile
may not meet their expectations. Following the in-office whitening
process with an at-home teeth whitening system can provide
a means by which to lighten the back teeth so their coloration
blends in and matches with the new shade of the anterior teeth.
You will need to ask your dentist if there is an additional
cost for the at-home teeth whitening products.
Source of informationtaken from VivaDent and http://www.animated-teeth.com.
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