Tooth bleaching or tooth whitening

Tooth bleaching, also known as tooth whitening, is a common procedure in general dentistry but most especially in the field of cosmetic dentistry. Many people consider white teeth to be an attractive feature of a smile. A child's deciduous teeth are generally whiter than the adult teeth that follow. As a person ages the adult teeth often become darker due to changes in the mineral structure of the tooth, as the enamel becomes less porous. Teeth can also become stained by bacterial pigments, foodstuffs and tobacco.

The procedure to bleach teeth uses oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to lighten the shade of the tooth. The oxidizing agent penetrates the porosities in the rod-like crystal structure of enamel and oxidizes interprismatic stain deposits; over a period of time, the dentin layer, lying underneath the enamel, is also bleached. The effects of bleaching can last for several months, but may be shortened by cigarette smoking, and tea and coffee consumption.

In-office whitening or bleaching

A dentist applies a high concentration of oxidizing agent for a short period of time, which produces quick results. In order to reduce the risk of chemical burns to the soft tissues, most in-office bleaching procedures use a light-cured protective layer that is carefully painted on the gums and papilla (the tips of the gums between the teeth). The bleaching agent is either carbamide peroxide, which breaks down in the mouth to form hydrogen peroxide, or hydrogen peroxide itself. The bleaching gel typically contains up to 35% carbamide peroxide which is roughly equivalent to a 12% hydrogen peroxide concentration.

At-home bleaching

At-home or take-home or over-the-counter whitening involves purchasing a thin mouthguard or strip that holds a relatively low concentration of oxidizing agent next to the teeth for as long as several hours a day for a period of 5 to 14 days.

Whitening is potentially better at a dentist because the strip or mouth-guard does not completely conform to the shape of the teeth, sometimes leaving the tips of the teeth (near the gumline) unbleached.

Cost of treatment

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