What is teeth whitening (Bleaching)?

Teeth Whitening is a cosmetic solution in which colored organic and inorganic substances formed in the enamel structure on the surface of the teeth are removed with tooth whitening gels. The whitening process involves applying a specially prepared gel onto the teeth and accelerating the reaction with a light source or laser. The mechanism of the whitening process is an oxidation-reduction reaction. The substances used release oxygen. The substances that cause discoloration in the teeth are replaced by colorless substances and whitening occurs.

How does internal coloration occur?

These are stains that have penetrated into the tooth and cannot be removed by brushing. Coloring drinks such as cigarettes, tea and coffee cause external discoloration as well as internal discoloration. Structural disorders that occur during the formation of teeth (due to medications or excessive fluoride intake, etc.) also fall into this class. Bleaching is very successful in the majority of such cases.

Why does external discoloration occur?

These are discolorations that adhere to the tooth surface from some staining foods such as cigarettes, tea, coffee and cola. It is usually possible to get rid of these stains after cleaning the teeth. Different discolorations may require different treatments. For this reason, it is best for your dentist to decide what type of treatment should be performed.

Which department performs teeth whitening?

Since teeth whitening, also known as bleaching, is a simple procedure, it can be performed by physicians from all branches of science. All you need to do is make an appointment for teeth whitening.

What are the issues to be considered in the teeth whitening process?

Whitening treatment should be started after the gums and surrounding tissues such as tongue and lips are carefully protected. Correct adjustment of the concentration of the drug used and the duration of use (bleaching gels contain carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide in different proportions).

Patients may sometimes complain of slight sensitivity during or after the teeth whitening process, but this sensitivity will disappear completely within 1 to 3 days. The important thing is to follow the steps required by the treatment completely and correctly. Teeth whitening is a harmless and very effective method when performed by dentists.

What is internal whitening?

It is applied to teeth that have lost their vitality. It is the method used in the treatment of teeth that have previously been exposed to trauma or have discoloration after root canal treatment. The process is terminated when sufficient whiteness is achieved by placing hydrogen peroxide gel in the pulp chamber of teeth that have previously undergone root canal treatment and changing it periodically.

What is external whitening?

Depending on the system used, the whitening agent applied to the teeth by the physician; External whitening is done alone, with a light source or with laser activation. In whitening sessions performed with a normal light device, sessions last approximately 30-45 minutes and the results can be observed immediately. Laser whitening treatments give much faster results when the appropriate patient is selected. The duration of the treatment depends on the physician and the degree of whiteness desired by the patient, to the extent that it does not cause damage to the teeth. Approximately 3 sessions are performed with 2 days intervals.

The whitening process has no effect on fillings and crowns. For this reason, they sometimes need to be renewed depending on the resulting tooth color. The whitening process is a reversible process, albeit to a small extent, depending on time and the patient’s habits. Therefore, in some cases, it may need to be renewed at regular intervals.

This procedure, which is very simple to perform by the patient and the physician, has no complications in the long term. Therefore, instead of hiding our smile, we all have the right to show off a bright smile that can be achieved with such an easy process.