Whiten Up! by Corey Senn The demand for teeth whitening has skyrocketed. If you plan to jump on the bandwagon, here's what you need to know print article      send to a friend

They can stain the porous outer enamel of your teeth. And if these aren't enough, trauma to the teeth, tetracycline, nerve degeneration, or simple aging can all take their toll on the appearance of those pearly whites. Luckily, teeth whitening can recapture the shine and luster that your teeth once had.

In one form or another, teeth whitening has been around for over a hundred years. But it is really only in the last decade that the demand for teeth whitening has skyrocketed. As Anthony Vocaturo, MD, a cosmetic dentist with practices in New Jersey and New York, explains, "This is the decade of aesthetics. Whether it's body or mind, everyone wants to look and feel their best." Teeth whitening is safe, easy, and, best of all, quick. You can be in and out of the dental office in an hour with whiter teeth.

The ABCs of Teeth Whitening

There are three basic ways to whiten your teeth. The first is power bleaching, also known as plasma bleaching. This technique is performed right in the dentist's chair. Although power bleaching is often advertised as laser bleaching, it is really performed with a high output light. The dentist applies the bleaching element, a 10% hydrogen peroxide solution, to the teeth. With the solution on the teeth and a gel protecting the gums, the light is moved across the teeth. As the peroxide penetrates into the enamel, it bleaches the offending stains. Power bleaching usually lightens teeth 3 to 5 shades. "Even with just the power bleaching, it's like day and night," says Jennifer Porcelli, a technical recruiter and former Miss New Jersey and Mrs. New Jersey, who had her teeth whitened back in 1998.

The most popular teeth whitening alternative is dentist-supervised home bleaching. As Dr. Vocaturo explains, "The patient comes in and we scallop, or custom design, mouth trays for the individual's teeth. The trays should never be cut across the gums in a straight line. If they are, you'll get the bleach on the gums themselves and irritate the tissue." Once the mouth trays are prepared, the patient takes the custom-fitted tray and a carbamide peroxide solution home. The mouthtrays and bleaching solution can be worn either for a few hours during the day or overnight. With home bleaching, patients usually notice a difference in the whiteness of their teeth after two to three sessions of wearing the tray.

The last alternative is laser bleaching, or laser teeth whitening. This procedure is almost identical to power bleaching, with the laser beam activating the hydrogen peroxide and bleaching the outer enamel of the teeth. Although laser bleaching whitens teeth as well as power bleaching, the procedure tends to be more costly, and the process is slightly more complicated than power bleaching.

The Supercharge

"We've found that what works the best is the supercharge," states Dr. Vocaturo. "We start with an in-chair power bleaching for a quick change to the look and luster of the teeth. But chairside bleaching is usually not enough. The most important factor in whitening teeth is the length of time the teeth are exposed to the bleaching; the longer the exposure, the more dramatic the results. We send our patients home with precisely sculpted mouthtrays and bleaching solution." As Porcelli comments, "My teeth looked awesome. Healthy, brightened, refreshed. You simply don't notice how discolored your teeth have become until you have the whitening done."

What To Avoid

As with any cosmetic procedure, patients need to exercise judgement in how they go about whitening their teeth. Patients may want to avoid the over-the-counter alternatives. According to Dr. Vocaturo, the at-home bleaching solution can be overused and cause irritation to the gums. In addition, if you have gaps between your teeth, you should realize that teeth whitening may make these spaces more noticeable by creating more contrast between the whiter teeth and the space. In these cases, there are cosmetic dentistry choices, including porcelain veneers and composite bonding, that can eliminate these gaps.