What are
my teeth whitening choices?
Am I a
candidate for teeth bleaching?
Whitening Trays
There are two main types of custom made
whitening trays. One is a home system where you
put a thermoform tray in hot water to soften it,
then place the tray in your mouth to mold it to
your teeth yourself. The other choice is the
professionally made trays like you could have
done at the dentist except you take the mold of
your actual teeth at home and send the molds to
an approved dental lab where they fabricate the
custom trays and mail them back to you. This
process is therefore more expensive. Each system
comes complete with everything you need to
whiten your teeth.
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Pre-filled Trays
This is a one size fits all, U-shaped tray
that is pre-loaded with bleaching gel. These
tend to be more stable than whitening strips and
as it covers the entire tooth, it also bleaches
the backside of the teeth.
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Paint-on Delivery
These are systems which don't have a
delivery method to hold the bleaching gel
against the tooth. Here you merely apply the
bleaching ingredient directly to the teeth and
try not to disturb it, which is rather
difficult. As bleaching effectiveness requires a
lengthy contact time with the tooth, many don't
feel that these work well. These paint-on
systems may, however, help to prevent stain
build up.
Whitening Gel Refills
These are whitening gel syringes which are
available for use only if you already have
custom-made trays. There are many different
brands to choose from and they all work. The
choice of bleaching gel is a personal one. We
recommend sticking to the brand you have used if
you were happy with the results. The higher the
percentage of bleaching gel, the stronger the
level of carbamide peroxide (whitening agent).
Whitening Strips
These are extensively marketed by Crest Whitestrips which are thin moldable cellulose
strips pre-loaded with bleaching gel which are
peeled open and then applied to your teeth. The
strips stick to the teeth and keep the bleach on
the tooth. The most common complaint with the
strips is that the strip on the bottom teeth
tends to dislodge and many experience tooth
sensitivity which is a common side effect
generally of tooth whitening. Millions of strips
have been sold and there are many happy
customers.
Whitening Toothpastes
As there is very little contact time
with the tooth surface, whitening toothpaste
prevents stain build up and keeps those
bleached teeth white.
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