Why whiten your teeth?
Teeth whitening makes a beautiful smile important.
According to a survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry,
96% of people think that a beautiful smile makes you more attractive
to the opposite sex, while 72% think that an unpleasant smile
may limit your chances of career success. 32% say they do
being concerned about the appearance of their teeth, 18% admit
to hide your smile in photos.
In addition to harmonious teeth and healthy gums, the ideal of beauty
of our smile is definitely associated with the whites of our teeth.
Unfortunately, over time, the teeth absorb pigments from food, drinks,
from mouthwashes and smoke, altering their brightness
and making them appear more yellow.
Teeth whitening is an aesthetic dental treatment that allows not only to restore a more natural color to our teeth, but also to make them whiter and brighter, thus improving the smile.
How teeth whitening work
Teeth whitening products work thanks to the release of oxygen present inside them when they are placed in contact with the teeth. These oxygen molecules absorbed by the hard dental tissues (enamel and dentin) break down the molecules responsible for the chromatic alteration.
Toothpastes and other whitening products can remove or mask the stains on the surface of our teeth, but they can do nothing on the pigments within the enamel. The scientific literature demonstrates that the only effective principle in neutralizing these pigments is precisely the oxygen released by professional whitening treatments.
However, whitening procedures do not work if there are smoke or coffee stains on the teeth, or if there is an accumulation of plaque and tartar: therefore these changes must be removed on the day of the whitening session.
Whitening can be done in the office from dentist or by the hygienist , or, as in the case of home whitening, by the patient himself during the night.
It is important to underline that dental whitening acts only on natural teeth, while it does not act on prosthetic crowns, fillings or other restorative material present in the oral cavity.
Professional LED whitening
Professional LED whitening is a treatment that is carried out in the studio with the LED lamp; a low percentage (16%) of carbamide peroxide is used. The whitening effect obtained lasts about six months.
This type of whitening is ideal for those who want to keep their smile always at the top as, thanks to the low concentrations of peroxide, it can be repeated more frequently than traditional professional whitening (see subsequent treatment), or twice a year.
The advantages for this type of whitening are:
whitening repeatable several times in total safety
it is carried out in a single 30-minute session with a LED lamp
masks are not used
Professional home whitening
Home teeth whitening involves the use of two customized trays
(upper and lower) that we will provide you with the whitening gel to use during the
night when you sleep. Ideal for obtaining very white teeth.
We have, according to everyone's needs, two formulations of whitening gel: one with 16% carbamide peroxide and the other with 10% carbamide peroxide.
Professional home whitening is an extremely flexible treatment: it can be done either as a stand-alone treatment (which allows you, in just 2 weeks, to improve the whiteness of your teeth up to 7 shades comfortably at home), or it can be combined with one of our studio treatments with the LED lamp, thus combining the immediacy of the result with long-term stability.
Plus, with your custom aligners, you can easily repeat the treatment in a convenient way to keep your smile always on top!
In addition to giving you whiter teeth, professional home whitening, thanks to the hyaluronic acid contained in it, creates a barrier that nourishes and protects the gums; moreover, inside the whitening gel there is also the micronized hydroxyapatite which binds to the enamel, repairing and strengthening it. The results obtained with professional whitening in the studio or with those at home can be strengthened and maintained with the use of specific products that we will recommend to you after the whitening session.
How long does whitening last?
The duration of the white tone achieved after whitening depends a lot on personal habits.
For example, in smokers it will inevitably tend to last less than in non-smokers; the same is true for regular tea and coffee consumers.
The tone of white, in any case, will not be completely lost over time, so it will never return to the pre-whitening tone.
Once the initial treatment has been performed in the office, the best way to maintain a brilliant smile is to carry out a maintenance program (at home and / or in the office).
Is tooth whitening bad for your teeth?
Professional whitening is absolutely not harmful to teeth and dental enamel as it is a medical procedure tested and checked by professionals in the sector. The products used are safe even if their use must be carried out or recommended only by dentists and dental hygienists. The same cannot be said about DIY whitening products.
Teeth whitening cost
The costs of professional dental whitening per arch are very variable and therefore for a specific and detailed estimate it is necessary to evaluate the starting color of this operation which obviously can only be carried out during a first visit in the studio. In all ways, to get a general idea, we can say that the cost of a professional whitening is around 50 to 400 euros.
Top 10 things to know about teeth whitening
Difference between whitening and stain removal
Most of the stains on the teeth (extrinsic stains) or in the mineral structure of the tooth (intrinsic stains) are of organic origin. These coloring substances, called chromophores, are deposited on and inside the teeth through the intake of food, drink and smoke.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) distinguishes between:
Tooth Whitening, a treatment that restores the natural color of the tooth by removing stains on the surface of the teeth by means of cleaning and polishing agents.
Dental Bleaching (teeth whitening), treatment able to whiten the teeth beyond their natural color, removing pigments and discolourations in the dental structure by means of oxygen radicals.
Unfortunately, the terms "whitening" and "stain removal" are often used interchangeably, although they are not actually the same treatment.
Does whitening harm your teeth?
Scientific studies agree that tooth whitening, carried out under the supervision of the dentist, does not cause permanent damage or loss of tooth substance.
Effective and safe teeth whitening requires a correct diagnosis of problems related to dental discolorations or stains. Such a diagnosis can only be performed by a professional, that is, by a dentist or dental hygienist.
How do whitening toothpastes work?
Commercial whitening products intended for home use include gels, chewing gum, mouthwashes, and toothpastes.
In general, toothpastes made as whitening agents achieve this by removing and preventing the formation of superficial (extrinsic) stains.
The key ingredient in whitening toothpastes is an abrasive substance to which other substances with chemical and optical effects are then added. They must be used with caution!
What are the teeth whitening techniques?
There are two approaches to teeth whitening:
Professional whitening in the studio, which uses a gel applied directly to the teeth and lasts from 30 minutes to about an hour. The treatment can be accelerated by photo-activation done with LED lamps or laser equipment.
Professional home whitening, which uses a gel with a lower concentration of H2O2 than professional whitening in the studio. The gel is applied to the teeth through custom-made masks, worn overnight for at least 2 weeks.
Is it necessary to follow a special diet after the treatment?
Conventional teeth whitening treatments generally require a white food diet only in the days following the treatment, avoiding tea, coffee and smoking.
Does tooth whitening always work?
In the vast majority of cases, teeth whitening works perfectly; however the outcome of a whitening procedure is influenced by the type of stains, the initial color of the tooth and the age of the patient.
Tetracycline-stained teeth and devitalized teeth cannot be bleached efficiently with H2O2 concentrations below 6% and may require multiple treatment sessions.
Discolourations of inorganic origin (e.g. greyish spots due to metal release from amalgam fillings) do not react to whitening.
Bleaching cannot change the color of the materials used for restorations and prostheses (composites, resins, ceramics, etc.).
If there are calcifications (white spots) in the tooth structure, the whitening process can make them even more noticeable.
What does the effectiveness of a teeth whitening gel depend on?
The key factors influencing the effectiveness of hydrogen peroxide products used for whitening are essentially concentration and time.
Higher concentrations lead to faster results. However, by extending treatment times, the effectiveness of products containing lower concentrations of hydrogen peroxide could reach levels similar to those of products at higher concentrations.
How is the obtained whitening measured?
The dentist uses a shade guide to determine the color of the teeth. This scale represents the natural colors of the teeth, dividing them by shade (ABC and D) and intensity (from 1 to 4).
For whitening, the shade guide is “reorganized” going from the darkest shade (C4) to the lighter shade (B1).
For example, if with a whitening passing from a shade A 3.5 to an A1 means that the teeth have whitened by 4 shades (A3.5-A3 – A2-A1).
Recently, with the evolution of professional dental whitening, shades of whites greater than B1 have been reached, for which shade guides have been introduced which include, in addition to the 16 natural shades of the VITA Classic scale, 3 additional shades of white.