Treatment
Treatment results usually depend on
the severity of the discolouration.
Both vital (i.e. live) and non-vital
teeth (e.g. root canal treated) can be
bleached and may take several visits to
complete.
Bleaching or tooth whitening is not
effective on dental restorations such
as amalgam or tooth-coloured fillings,
metal or porcelain crowns, etc. People
with worn tooth enamel, receding
gums, sensitive teeth, untreated
cavities, and heavily restored teeth
should consult a dentist before
undergoing any teeth whitening
procedures.
Your dentist will be able to
recommend the most ideal method
of teeth whitening treatment after
an in-office examination, when
the cause and nature of your tooth
discolouration can be established. Your
dentist will also provide you with more
information on the various types of
whitening procedures available, their
duration and frequency of treatment.
Whitening methods include:
i. In-office Chair Side Bleaching
- For the busy individual who wants
‘instant’ results.
- Teeth can be whitened in one
sitting within one to two hours.
- Light-activated bleaching gels to
speed up the process, severely
discoloured teeth may need repeat
treatment.
- With proper care, results can last
one year.
ii. Dentist-supervised Home
Bleaching
- A customised tray to hold the
bleach.
- You will be provided syringes of the
bleaching gel and taught how to
use it.
- Bleaching is done at your
convenience at home, for one hour
a day.
- This method of tooth whitening is
less costly than in-office bleaching.
The bleaching process is gradual,
over a few weeks, but is kinder to
your teeth.
- Your dentist will review your
progress regularly until the desired
shade is achieved.
iii. Non-vital bleaching
A tooth can discolour after
root canal treatment has been
performed on the tooth and
it usually has a much darker
appearance as compared with
adjacent teeth.
Non-vital bleaching involves
placing the bleaching agent into
the pulp chamber of the root
canal treated tooth. This can help
to lighten the colour of the tooth
in some cases. Root canal treated
teeth with larger restorations or
severe discolouration that cannot
be corrected by non-vital bleaching
are better crowned.
Procedure:
- A bleaching compound is placed
inside the pulp chamber and
sealed within the tooth.
- The patient is reviewed in two
weeks and if the tooth has
been whitened sufficiently,
the bleaching compound is
removed and the tooth restored.
