| Tooth Whitening |
| With Home or In-Office Bleaching it is possible to whiten teeth without the need for invasive or destructive dental therapy. |
| This image shows an actual patient of Dr. Ringer. |
 |
| Bleaching ones natural teeth is one of the most effective ways to improve ones appearance without risking any damage to the teeth and as a result, has become the most popular dental cosmetic procedure available.
The process is simply the absorption of oxygen into the tooth, which breaks down the stain molecules inside the tooth, thus making the teeth lighter. Tooth structure is not compromised in this process, so there is no biological downside to bleaching. There are 4 potential areas that may be problematic for some patients. First is that one cannot “order” or choose the color of their bleached teeth. You get what you get and, remember, only natural teeth bleach, not anything artificial. Second is some people experience some tooth sensitivity going through the process, but this is quite transitory and harmless to the tooth itself. Different methods and concentrations of bleach that are applied can help minimize or eliminate tooth sensitivity. Third is that completing the bleaching process can take various amounts of time, depending on the method of application one chooses. Therefore it can take from days to months depending on the severity of the discoloration, how well one perseveres with the treatment and what ones expectations are for the final result. Fourth is where patients rely on over the counter (OTC) products, which can in some cases be very effective, but many find the result disappointing. In part this has to do with the process being done with no dentist supervision. Typically there are 3 methods of dentist supervised application of the bleach solution. First and most popular are Home Bleaching Trays whereby the dentist makes custom fitting thin clear trays that one wears after placing inside the tray a bleaching gel. The patient will then wear the trays for varying amounts of time until the result is achieved. Over time; which could be 9-18 months from when one had finished bleaching their teeth; the teeth color may start to relapse, therefore one can reinsert their trays at that time for a short period of time to bring back the previously bleached color. Second is having the bleach applied in the dental office using very high concentrations of bleach. This method will expedite the process, but usually requires 3-4 visits to complete the process and is significantly more expensive then take home bleach trays. This method, however, does not allow one to do maintenance at home when the tooth color relapses. Third is a combination of the first 2 where the patient has only one office visit followed by taking home custom bleach trays to finish the process, along with providing the patient the ability to do future bleaching maintenance. |
| For more information, contact Dr. Ringer at (714) 974-0313. |