 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
> Tooth Whitening - treatment options
By sedron | November 10, 2007
Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Cheap & convenient, but limited whitening effect. A very slow inconspicious process in color changes.
Scaling & Polishing
- remove many extrinsic stains due to smoking, tea, coffee
- limited effect in changing tooth shades
- remove plaque and calculus at the same time, keeping your teeth and periodontal tissue healthy
Many people aren’t aware that a simple teeth cleaning during your regular recall dental visit can remove much staining. So, this option is worth considering before you resort to dental bleaching/crowns/veneers right away. It has the added benefit of maintaining your periodontal health.
Tooth Bleaching
An alternative for more stubborn extrinsic and intrinsic stains. There are many different approaches of dental bleaching, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. We’ll come back to this option later in greater depth.
Crowns & Veneers
For stains that cannot be removed from the above methods (eg, amalgam discoloration and any very dark stains), crowns offer the next option. Crowns do not change the color of tooth per se; they simply cover up the tooth so the actual tooth color is hidden. You select the desired color and shade for the crown to match adjacent teeth. The color change is immediate and permanent, as soon as the crown is cemented. Usually it takes two dental appointments to fabricate a crown (the first one to prep the tooth and the second one to insert the crown). With modern technology such as Cerec, crowns can be done within one dental appointment. There are other advantages and disadvantages associated with this treatment option. We’ll devote this topic fully to another article regarding the inidcations and contra-indications of this fixed prosthesis. After all, this procedure is invasive (ie, requiring tooth reduction). There are many considerations to pay attention to, before this treatment can be serviced. With proper diagnosis and evaluation, crowns not only offer esthetics but also, with fairly good prognosis, strengthen teeth that are already weakened.
Veneers are more conservative (ie, less tooth reduction required) than crowns. They are made of porcelain in fingernail thickness. Because they are thinner than crowns, this treatment is contra-indicated for very darkly stained teeth. However, it is a very good alternative to offer longer lasting color changes and avoid frequent relapses from dental bleaching.
Tooth Whitening 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Topics: Cosmetic Dentistry, Dentistry, Health & Well Being |