Tooth Whitening

Our presence and personal appearance is heavily influenced by our smile and what lies behind it.

A healthy set of teeth is part of a good appearance, and nowadays youthful, white teeth that reflect care and maintenance are increasingly important.

Tooth whitening is an aesthetic treatment, yet it still falls in the dental hygiene category, for white teeth are important for health as well as aesthetics.

Tooth whitening does not solve every aesthetic problem and can cause damage if done improperly. Thus, the first step in performing tooth whitening is consultation and thorough inspection.

The whitening process!

Our teeth have an inherited color, which we get from our parents and is influenced by external factors that can cause discolorations (coffee, tea, tobacco, medication, etc.)

The color of teeth is caused by tiny pigment fragments that cannot be seen with the naked eye and have settled in the enamel and dentine below it. Tooth whitening substances cause the oxidation and color-change of these pigments. These substances contain concentrated hydrogen or urea peroxide (15-35%)

Is this treatment harmful?

We can say with confidence that it is not!

Many years of experience and medical studies have demonstrated that tooth whitening completed by a professesional with high-quality materials does not cause any irreversible changes. Neither the enamel layer nor the dentine is damages, even in repeated treatments.

How does the tooth whitening process work?

In every case, the first step in the process is to get rid of the residue and plaque on the teeth. Often, this is already enough to give the teeth an acceptable color. After this, we can choose which tooth whitening process we want, one done at the dental clinic or one done at home.

Whitening in surgery- Opalescence BOOST®

• Tooth whitening in the clinic is advantageous because it is more comfortable and only takes an hour.
• During the treatment, a more highly concentrated substance is used, so we must take more care to protect the gums.
• After this a gel is applied to the surface of the teeth 4 times for 15 minutes.
• Tthe whitening agent is activated and the active oxygen removes the discolorations on the tooth surfaces and the deeper layers.
• After this treatment, a protective coating is applied to the teeth.
• The outcome is dependent on the original color of the teeth, but up to 6-10 shades of brightening can be achieved, which can be permanent if good dental hygiene and post-treatment advice is followed.

Tooth whitening at home- Opalescence PF®

• First an imprint is made of the teeth, based on which the dental technician creates a thin mold that fits onto the teeth.
• This is filled with a more diluted whitening gel. The filled retainer should be in place for 6-8 hours, which is most easily done at night.
• The optimal oucome is achieved in 7-14 days, but consultation with the dentalhigenist can be useful during the process as well.