Bleaching – Professional Teeth Whitening

White teeth radiate vitality, health, and cleanliness. Over the course of a lifetime, however, teeth can become discolored: external factors (deposits, foods and stimulants such as tobacco, coffee, tea, red wine) and internal factors (e.g. medication, death of the tooth nerve, malnutrition) are responsible. Even professional teeth cleaning cannot remove this discoloration, since the dark pigments sit below the tooth surface. Only bleaching the teeth achieves the desired result. In this cosmetic treatment method, these coloring substances are altered through a chemical reaction so that they are no longer visible in color. There are various methods for this, all of which should always be preceded by a professional teeth cleaning. In so-called "power bleaching," the gums are covered with a special plastic barrier. The whitening agent is then applied directly to the teeth, which are then irradiated with a special light. The big advantage of this technique is that the entire dental arch is whitened in just one appointment. In "home bleaching," after taking an impression of the teeth, an individual tray is fabricated, into which a whitening gel is placed. Over several hours of wear (e.g. overnight), the teeth are bleached, requiring several bleaching sessions. In some cases (e.g. with stubborn discoloration) the two methods can also be combined. The "walking bleach technique" applies to non-vital (root-canal-treated) teeth. Following a root canal treatment, particularly in the front tooth region, the tooth can develop dark discoloration. This technique uses the original access opening required for that earlier treatment. Part of the tooth's filling is removed and a bleaching agent is placed inside, which remains there for several days. How long does the whitening last? This strongly depends on individual oral hygiene and lifestyle habits (see above). With good care and regular preventive visits, the result can last for several years — though the whitening does not last "forever." A touch-up is possible at that point.