Wat is whitening?

What is teeth bleaching?

Dental bleaching, whitening or bleaching: it all means the same. It refers to the method to make teeth whiter, a kind of in-depth cleaning of the enamel. A chemical oxygen compound reacts with the colour molecules which have settled on the enamel over time resulting in a whitening treatment gives you back your natural colour.

How do teeth discolour?

Just like the complexion of your skin, the colour of your hair or the whites of your eyes, the basic colour of your teeth is hereditary. Tooth are made of enamel, dentine and pulp.
Tooth colour depends mainly on the colour and thickness of the dentine.

It is different for everyone so one person can have whiter teeth than the next. Enamel, on the other hand, is almost transparent. Canine teeth are naturally a bit more yellowish than the other teeth because their dentine layer is thicker.


Extrinsic discoloration

This type of discoloration is the result of colour molecules which stick to the enamel and can usually be successfully treated with a whitening treatment.

Food

Coffee, tea, red wine, smoking, etc. are real white-killers and make our teeth more yellow and darker. Depending on how much certain food products are used, discoloration will be greater in some persons than in others.

Age

This extrinsic discoloration also increases with age. This is because of wear, or because the teeth necks are uncovered or because the enamel has become more fragile causing small cracks These factorsl make it easier for colourants to penetrate the porous dentine. Due to aging the layer of dentine also become thicker causing teeth and molars to darkeren.

 

Intrinsic discolorations, on the other hand, are inside the tooth structure. Two examples are tetracycline discolorations and fluorosis.
Some antibiotics (e.g. the so-called tetracyclines) which used to be administered to children quite often, cause permanent discoloration of the teeth.

Tetracycline

This discoloration takes place when the teeth are formed and are actually embedded in the dentine. The result is usually a grey – sometimes orange – discoloration, partially or totally covering the tooth.

Fluorosis

Fluorosis, on the other hand, is caused when children absorb too much fluoride when their teeth are formed. It creates chalk-like, white stains in the enamel of their permanent teeth.

Solution

Both intrinsic discolorations are difficult to solve with a whitening treatment. In these cases a treatment with veneers is recommended.
Our GlamSmile Veneers are a suitable solution.