Weiss-Dekel 4Hands.Dental Specialists Clinic explain: “Being able to smile freely, without hesitation, without covering your mouth with your hand because of your smile’s unsightly appearance, is one of the surest ways to boost your confidence and encourage your social skills”.
Tooth whitening may be one of the most important turning points in the lives of young people as they start out in adult life where their appearance will carry greater importance, especially if they are in roles with interpersonal contact, such as teachers, lecturers, lawyers, presenters, in sales, working as models, and so on
Diverse techniques are available for tooth whitening but the most important factor is that the process must be undertaken by a qualified dentist with experience in the field.
Whitening uses bleaching materials placed on the tooth under controlled conditions that manipulate light and heat using focused beam emitting devices. Exposure to the light activates these materials and causes the whitening process.
Dr. Michal Dekel-Steinkeller explains: “Before commencing the whitening procedure, it’s valuable to know just what is causing the change in the colour of your teeth. This will help understand what to avoid which in turn will help keep your teeth bright and aesthetically pleasing”.
External factors can cause your teeth to change colour. Among them are smoking, drinking large quantities of tea or coffee, and consuming foods or beverages which contain food colouring. Some clients are also affected by certain types of mouthwash and other oral hygiene products.
Teeth can also change colour as we age, shifting from a shiny white to various colours that include brown, grey, bluish-grey and grey-pink. In these cases, too, whitening is highly effective.
In addition to the reasons already noted, particular circumstances can cause teeth to change colour. These include root canal treatment, external damage, and extended use of medications such as antibiotics, especially during early childhood.
A few, rare conditions can also cause changed colour, such as genetic defects or congenital diseases. It’s not possible to predict the degree to which whitening may be effective in such cases.
The whitening process
We hold to a strict, precise procedure when performing the whitening process. It begins with the dentist’s examination of your mouth, x-rays of your teeth, and coordinating expectations with you.
In some cases, if gingivitis (gum disease) or caries (holes) are diagnosed, a program to repair this situation will be carried out prior to whitening. Clients will be directed to the dental hygienist for the removal of plaque and instructions on improving oral hygiene.
The whitening materials (usually based on hydrogen peroxide) are placed on the teeth designated for whitening, and we begin the procedure using a light-emitting device. Some clients may experience tooth sensitivity due to the action of whitening materials on the teeth or soft tissue around your teeth.
The treatment takes about one hour.
For optimal results, we recommend complementing treatment in the clinic with home whitening which uses transparent guards. Final whitening becomes visible some days later and should last for years.