Tooth Whitening A whiter, brighter smile can be beautiful, it can help you feel better about yourself and create a memorable impression. Lifestyle and ageing can lead to darkening of the teeth. Whitening can help put them back to the way they once were. The images below show examples of treatments available at Atkinson Brignall Caring Dentistry There are two main techniques used for whitening:- Tray method
 Dark or discoloured teeth can be restored to their natural colour with a simple and safe method of tooth whitening. This can be comfortably achieved in the convenience of your home with a mild bleaching gel placed in custom made trays covering your teeth. Even dark non-vital (dead) teeth can be improved with a modified version of this technique. The overall result achieved will vary person to person depending on starting shade and tonal colour of the teeth. The trays are worn for minimum of 3 hours daily, or may be worn overnight for convenience. The improvements are seen daily, but the best results are achieved after 12- 14 days use. Intermittent top-ups are required at home to keep your teeth at their improved colour. Power whitening
 Another option is to whiten the teeth in the surgery using power whitening. This produces a much faster response and can improve the brightness of your teeth in about an hour or so, though is often best used in conjunction with a short course of tray whitening. Sometimes, but not always, this technique uses a bright light, shining on the teeth. The procedure can be undertaken while you watch a DVD in the surgery. This technique used alone does not necessarily produce a whiter result than the tray system but some patients find it more convenient. Some of these systems are more reliable than others. Enlighten At Atkinson Brignall we are strong believers in offering both choice and reliability. Most tooth whitening procedures can in reality, be a little unpredictable with the results achieved. We are delighted to be able to offer Enlighten deep bleaching , which is a terrific system, and the only one in the UK to guarantee the results achieved. It uses a combination of a “home tray” system followed immediately by an “in surgery procedure”. Although more expensive than the conventional tray system alone, the results can be very impressive as seen in the “before and after” images below. Unlike some other power whitening systems, it causes little sensitivity.
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| Enlighten bleaching after 2 weeks for severely discoloured teeth – the 3 front teeth are crowns. |
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Not all stained teeth need whitening procedures, if the stain is only on the surface, it can be simply removed by the hygienist, to restore the natural colour. Advantages The simplest, most cost effective way to improve your smile.
If trays are used, it is easy to top up at home at a later date. Disadvantages Does not alter the colour of existing crowns or fillings
Some techniques can cause sensitivity
The amount of benefit is not always predictable A word of warning The products used by dentists are very carefully controlled so as not to damage the teeth. Some products available in beauty salons or over the internet are based on a chemical, Chlorine dioxide, which has a very low pH and can cause significant damage to tooth structure. |
