Bleaching with Strips
The Strips are fei saleable products, which can be obtained in the drugstore or pharmacy. They are already coated with the peroxide. They are simply stuck onto the teeth.
This method is simple and safe, because the gel is already applied in the correct amount and thus no damage to the enamel can occur. Moreover, the gel does not come into contact with the gums, which is easy on them. There are many different types on the market, especially for patients with sensitive teeth or irritated gums.
It is important not to take the cheapest ones. They may not be effective and therefore expensive in terms of price-performance ratio. One should also always look for a seal that certifies the quality of the product.
Bleaching with gel
In addition to the carbamide peroxide gel, there are other gels that are available either as a pen for painting on or in a bottle with brush. Here you have to consider which method is best suited for you. The pen always releases only small portions, whereas there is often too much gel hanging on the brush. Depending on the liquid, the gel can then flow from the tooth surfaces and reach the gums, which are then irritated.
Bleaching at the dentist
In a direct comparison between home bleaching and teeth whitening in the dental practice, the professional method impresses with its many times more convincing results. While the initial tooth color can only be lightened by about one to two shade levels when bleaching at home. In the case of bleaching in the dental practice (especially with so-called power bleaching), whiter teeth are possible by up to eight levels.
Even regular professional tooth cleaning (PZR) without the use of bleaching products can lead to visibly whiter teeth in the long term. With the additional performance of a bleaching, the teeth can even be whitened by several tooth colors. However, the extent of the whitening effect depends strongly on the individual tooth structure and the genetically determined tooth color of each patient.
For this reason, the final result of bleaching for white teeth is only partially predictable. On average, a whitening effect of two to three shades can be expected. The so-called power bleaching even provides a result of up to eight shade levels for most patients.
In order to achieve white teeth by bleaching in the dental practice, highly concentrated preparations are used, which can cause damage to the gums if used incorrectly. For this reason, these products should only be used by qualified personnel. In addition, it is absolutely essential to completely cover the gums in advance with a rubber-like coating (so-called coffer dam) or similar shielding materials.
Subsequently, the bleaching material for creating white teeth can be applied directly to the tooth surface by the treating dentist. In most cases, this is a viscous gel. The preparation must remain on the tooth for a certain period of time (about 15-45 minutes) after application, and the bleaching effect can be intensified during this time by using a UV lamp.
After the exact duration of action has been observed, the gel must be completely rinsed off the tooth surface. In order to achieve the most beautiful, long-lasting result, it may be necessary to repeat this procedure in a second treatment.In patients who have root-filled teeth, such whitening can also be achieved by placing a special bleaching material in the dead tooth. This procedure makes sense because root-filled teeth usually tend not to accept whitening from the outside as well as a healthy tooth. In order to ensure an even treatment result, bleaching can be carried out by inserting the material for several days.
