Teeth whitening or bleaching is a method in which the teeth are lightened with special materials, and the person gets a better appearance. In this method, special oxidizing materials such as hydrogen peroxide are placed on the teeth, and gradually, the pigments in the enamel prisms dissolve, and the teeth become brighter. Have a look at this page to get more familiar with teeth whitening. 

In the medical teeth whitening method, which uses more powerful materials, effective substances are activated by light or heat. Steps to do teeth whitening are: 

Tooth Color Evaluation Before Starting Teeth Whitening by a Dentist

Both the dentist and the patient should be able to determine the amount of effect that the whitening method has. The dentist can use a special porcelain color guide to do this. The patient’s teeth are compared with this guide, and the color closest to the teeth is recorded on a special table. Sometimes the dentist may use an X-ray for this comparison. The patient should be treated for scaling before the bleaching process. External stains on the teeth need to be removed. Sometimes this makes the patient no longer feel the need to whiten.

 The Dentist Isolates and Separates the Treated Teeth

Bleaching peroxide used in this treatment is harmful and can damage the mouth’s soft tissues. So, the dentist needs to separate the treated teeth from the rest of the oral tissues to protect them. This is done using a dental dam. One type of dental dam is made of latex. Another form of protection is special gels that are placed on the gums around the teeth. These gels are cured and hardened to protect the gum tissue. 

Protecting the patient’s eyes:

These parts need to be covered to prevent damage to the eyes and other parts of the body. Special glasses are used for this purpose. 

Application of peroxide whitening gel on the tooth surface by a dentist:

The dentist dries the surface of the patient’s teeth and then applies bleach to it. Bleaching agents are usually in the form of a thick paste or gel. 

Application of light or laser whitening on the surface of the teeth:

In some bleaching systems, bleach is activated by a light source. Some types of light include halide or halogen lamps, plasma arcs, and lasers. Of course, not all bleaching agents necessarily require the use of a light source. 

Teeth whitening stay on the tooth surface for a certain period:

Professional teeth whitening treatments are used based on the characteristics of the material. It lasts sixty to ninety minutes and may require additional sessions. 

End of whitening treatment

At the end of the treatment time, the bleach is removed from the tooth and rinsed. Then the gingival protective material is removed from the gums.

Determination of color after whitening by a dentist

As before the start of treatment, the resulting color is determined by a special color guide. If an X-ray was taken before the treatment, it would be taken after that too. You should be aware that the color that appears immediately after the treatment process may not be the true color, and the original evaluation should be done a few days after the treatment. 

Fluoride treatment after teeth whitening (selective treatment)

The dentist may feel that fluoride therapy is needed after treatment. This will reduce the sensitivity to heat in the teeth.