TOOTH WHITENING

There are various factors involved in the coloration of the teeth. They may be hereditary (natural tooth coloration or ageing), pathological (the taking of tetracycline during the tooth’s period of formation) or due to lifestyle factors (drinking coffee, tea, smoking, wine, antidepressants, etc.) These cases can sometimes mean that de-scaling and stain removal are not effective and offer good indications for whitening the teeth.

In aesthetic dentistry, whitening helps to lighten colorations of the enamel and dentine using a hydrogen peroxide (oxygenated water) based gel. However no whitening treatment should take place without a prior assessment of the mouth and teeth, at which your dentist will make sure that there are no contra-indications (untreated caries, devitalised teeth, weakness of the enamel, irritations of the gums, etc.).

The whitening can be performed "in the chair", by your dentist, or by "outpatient" treatment at home.

The former is carried out at the dentist’s surgery and takes one or two sessions lasting approximately somewhere between 20 and 90 minutes. It is also possible to activate the lightening process using a high energy lamp or a laser. These treatments are totally painless.

The outpatient treatment starts at the surgery with the production of caps made from a dental arch print and continues at the patient’s home using a hydrogen peroxide gel at a lower dose than the one used at the surgery. Your dentist will prescribe the length of the treatment depending on your own personal circumstances. If you feel any pain or sensitivity, it is vital that you halt the treatment and consult your dentist to avoid damaging the tooth nerve.