Division Street Dental

"I couldn't wait for success, so I went ahead without it."
-Jonathan Winters

Bleaching:

SUMMARY: Bleaching is the process of extracting stains from vital teeth. Original color can also be lightened. The living material embedded in the teeth is oxidized and removed without harming the teeth.

Why are my teeth dark?

• Genetics: You are born with teeth that have a certain color
• Age: Teeth become darker with time. In fact, people will percieve you as being older if your teeth are dark.
• Environment: Teeth develop cracks that become stained and certain foods or habits increase this darkness.
• Antibiotics: When the teeth are forming, some physicians may give the wrong type of antibiotic which binds with the hard structure of the teeth creating a permanent dark gray to purple gray color. These types of stains are very difficult to remove and usually take months of treatment to resolve.
• Trauma: A tooth that was hit too hard and caused the blood inside the tooth to bleed into the hard structure will cause that tooth to become dark. This type of tooth may need more than just bleaching to correct.

The bleaching products contain carbamide peroxide solutions in a gel form. This form of peroxide is quite stable as compared to hydrogen peroxide. The stable form converts to the active form when used. Concentrations change so mentioning the percentage becomes futile because it will different in six months.

The effectiveness of the bleaching process depends upon the concentration and the amount of time the solution is allowed to stay in contact with the teeth. As teeth become lighter they reach plateaus in which they are stable at that color. It is like going up a flight of stairs and stopping at each floor. Each new floor is a stable color.

WILL I FEEL PAIN DURING OR AFTER THE PROCEDURE?

• Generally there is little to no pain during the procedure. If the tooth is extremely sensitive to cold, then there may be more discomfort when starting. Most people don’t mind this because the tooth hurts so severely that anything that makes it feel better is worth it. There are times when the nerve tissue inside the tooth is completely gone and we don’t have to use any anesthetic.
• After the root canal has been completed, the tooth will have no sensation to hot or cold, but it can be sensitive to biting. It is best not to use the tooth for 3 to 7 days. Test the tooth with soft foods and gradually begin to use the tooth normally.

WHAT MUST BE DONE NEXT?

• Most teeth that have had a root canal need extra protection to prevent them from crumbling or breaking in half.
• A crown is the most common form of treatment, but before the crown is performed, the tooth should be built up to create a strong foundation for the crown. Usually these two procedures are completed at the same time.
• A small percentage of times the tooth is strong enough and it only needs to be built up and monitored for any potential cracks that might develop over the ensuing years.