Would you like to achieve a brighter, whiter smile in a gentle way? If so, we are here to help at our Bellevue dental practice in Zurich, offering professional teeth whitening to give your smile a fresh, attractive look.
What is teeth whitening?
The term ‘bleaching’ comes from English and essentially means ‘to bleach’. Using the cosmetic treatment method of teeth whitening, we are able to help you achieve effective tooth lightening. The desired whitening effects are achieved through the use of active oxygen – the targeted application of this oxygen to the tooth structure causes the colour pigments in the teeth to lighten. Hard tooth components such as enamel and dentine remain unaffected by the cosmetic treatment.
Causes of tooth discolouration
There are many possible reasons for tooth discolouration. In many cases, the influence of beverages and/or foods such as tea, coffee, red wine or tobacco is responsible for increasing tooth discolouration – the colourants they contain are deposited on the surfaces of the teeth and, over time, penetrate the enamel. Once the colour pigments are trapped within the enamel, they can no longer be removed by brushing at home.
Other factors that can lead to tooth discolouration include, for example, long-term use of certain medicines and external trauma to the tooth structure. Finally, the natural ageing process can also contribute to tooth discolouration: as we get older, the enamel often shows increased wear and tear. As a result, the layers beneath the enamel (particularly the so-called dentine) become more visibly apparent, as they are generally a darker colour.
Which teeth can be whitened through bleaching?
In principle, any natural tooth structure can be whitened through professional teeth whitening. Using this treatment approach, we can achieve whitening effects not only on vital teeth but also on devitalised (dead) teeth, if desired. You may benefit from the latter option, for example, if you wish to have a tooth that has undergone root canal treatment whitened. The option of whitening non-vital teeth is particularly useful because these teeth are especially prone to unwanted discolouration.
In-office bleaching (external bleaching) & internal bleaching
Depending on whether vital or devitalised tooth structure is to be bleached, we use different treatment methods – whilst whitening agents are usually applied externally to living teeth, they act from within the tooth in the case of devitalised teeth. Professional whitening of vital teeth at our clinic is also known as ‘in-office whitening’ (external whitening). In most cases, the desired whitening results from such in-office whitening can be achieved within just a few sessions. The professional whitening of non-vital teeth is known in dentistry as internal whitening.
Teeth Whitening
If you have decided to undergo professional whitening at our clinic, we will work with you to determine the desired level of whitening for your teeth. The appropriate level of whitening depends not only on the desired aesthetic result but also on factors such as the individual colour and structure of your teeth. To ensure we can take these important points into account during the whitening treatment, we will carry out a dental examination of your teeth beforehand.
Before the actual whitening procedure, we usually carry out a professional dental cleaning. This cleaning alone can already achieve initial aesthetic improvements. Above all, however, whitening agents have a more intense effect on clean tooth surfaces.
As part of the external whitening process, we then apply a whitening agent to your teeth. Your gums are protected from the effects of the agent. After a certain exposure time (which varies depending on the individual), we assess the result achieved. On this basis, we work with you to determine the course of any further treatment sessions.
We would be delighted to provide you with detailed information about the options for professional teeth whitening at the Bellevue Dental Practice in Zurich. Simply book an appointment by telephone or via our contact form.