Bleaching

Teeth can become stained or discoloured due to dietary, hormonal and drug-related factors. Other reasons may be …

• antibiotic (tetracycline) staining
  
• excessive flouride
  
• trauma or injury to the teeth
  
• nerve degeneration
  
• 'bleeding' from amalgam fillings
  
• illness and aging
  
• use of staining substances such as tea, coffee or cigarettes.

The two main tooth whitening systems available are in-office bleaching or passive bleaching. Your dentist may recommend just one system or a combination of both to give you the best results in the least amount of time.

Regardless of which system you choose, it is important that you follow your dentist's recommendations and instructions. Self-treatments, as advertised on television, can be dangerous!

In-office Tooth Whitening - This procedure is done in the dentist's surgery and normally takes one appointment to achieve the desired effect. A whitening solution is carefully applied to the teeth, which are then exposed to a laser light, at fairly close range, which accelerates the bleaching process.

Passive Tooth Whitening - This system involves wearing a custom-fitted appliance containing tooth whitening solution for a number of days or weeks, as prescribed by your dentist. You will need to return to the office for periodic monitoring throughout the process.

After these treatments, your teeth may feel slightly 'chalky'. This is due to slight dehydration caused by the tooth whitening solution and will gradually disappear. Occasionally, some patients experience mild sensitivity to cold food and beverages for a day or two following the procedure.

Tooth whitening is not the only solution for stained or discoloured teeth and it is not necessarily suitable for every patient. Alternative procedures that your dentist may recommend include bonding, porcelain inlays, porcelain laminate veneers or porcelain caps.

The strength and condition of your teeth are important considerations and your dentist will be able to recommend the appropriate procedure after careful clinical examination and x-rays.

Man-made materials, such as fillings, bonding and caps will not be whitened by these procedures so bleaching is usually carried out before any other restorative work is done.