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 There
are many personal reasons for wanting a
whiter smile. The traditional method of
whitening a smile has usually been multiple
crowns, and in the last decade, veneers.
Veneers, like crowns, are comparatively
expensive, time consuming to prepare, and
are still invasive since the teeth must
often be cut. If you are unhappy with your
smile and want to improve it, the best way
is to first try a tooth whitening treatment,
since this is both cheaper and easier than
the traditional cosmetic treatments. Better
still, there is no need to cut the teeth.
Tooth
whitening is now a common procedure in the
USA, and is becoming increasingly popular
in the UK. The amount of whitening cannot
be guaranteed, but teeth are usually at
least two shades whiter after treatment.
The average result is four shades of whitening,
but your teeth can be up to 9 shades lighter
after professional whitening treatment.
Whitening works even better on older teeth,
but it cannot change the shade of old white
fillings, crowns, veneers or dentures. Ideally
whitening should be done before other dental
treatments. Anyone with crowns, dentures,
veneers and older composites may have to
replace some of these if they looked too
dark compared to the natural teeth after
whitening.
1.
HOME WHITENING
 Many
companies produce so called whitening toothpastes.
A recent ‘Which’ magazine study
found none that worked any better than regular
toothpaste with a good quality electric
toothbrush. We recommend the Sonicare electric
toothbrush for proven performance in surface
stain removal, although the real benefit
of a quality electric toothbrush is in helping
to prevent dental disease.
However, if you are sure your teeth are
totally clean, yet still darker than you
would like, we can select and supply a suitable
professional home whitening kit based on
your tooth type. One method consists of
a whitening agent (carbamine peroxide gel)
and a custom made tray (mouth guard), which
is worn for two hours every day for 3-10
days. A fine layer of whitening gel is held
in close contact with the tooth surfaces
by the mouth guard, and the precise fit
ensures an even application of gel to the
required areas. The upper or lower teeth
can be treated at the same time or on different
nights. The trick is to use the right product
at the correct concentration.
For
that Hollywood smile,
 2.
IN SURGERY WHITENING.
This
is also known as ‘Power Whitening’!
The advantage of ‘Power Whitening’
is that the procedure is fast.
The whitening agents used are essentially
the same as in the home kit and are perfectly
safe, but because they are much more concentrated,
they must be used in an exact way which
is unsuitable for home kits.
For
that Hollywood smile, but faster.
- Visit
one…. A full Check-up to
ensure your teeth are in perfect condition.
(Any tooth whitening done with defective
fillings or unsealed cavities present
may cause sensitivity.)
- Visit
two…A Hygienist treatment
including air jet polishing to ensure
your teeth have no dental plaque or external
stain that might interfere with the whitening
process. Buy a good quality electric toothbrush
if you don’t already have one, and
use it according to the instructions.
(We recommend and stock the Philips Sonicare
and the Braun range which we find are
both better by far than manual brushing.)
-
Visit three…One
of your most relaxing dental visits ever,
as you just lie back and have the very
best whitening agents applied carefully,
and then relax for around thirty to forty
minutes to let the special process take
effect. Then take a good look in the mirror
at your new smile.
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