Three Ways to Whiten Your Teeth
Many people at one time or another decide their teeth need whitening and a decision has to be made as to which method to use.
1. Veneers and or crowns
2. A one visit teeth bleaching session at the dental office
3. A home teeth whitening kit
So let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each method.
• Veneers & or Crowns.
The advantages are that if any teeth are rotated or displaced, or have unsightly spaces, this can be resolved by the fitting of the veneers and crowns.
The obvious disadvantages of this procedure are – expense, time involved, number of visits involved, permanent damage to the teeth, having to replace them after an indeterminate time interval, possibility of the crowns or veneers coming off etc.
On balance though, if someone is concerned only with the colour of their teeth, this treatment would be difficult to justify.
• A One Visit Teeth Bleaching Session At The Dental Office.
The obvious advantage is it’s a one visit procedure and therefore convenient. Also it is very effective.
The disadvantages are – cost, the inability to control the colour change. Many older ladies who want new dentures say “I just want my new dentures to look natural – you know, really white”
There is a perception that white = natural and of course it certainly does not. Tooth colour should be chosen according to age, skin colour and hair colour, amongst other things.
“Really white is really wrong”
And here lies the problem. Once the treatment has started, there is no realistic way of matching the degree of whiteness to the patient’s complexion or for that matter any other relevant factors. You get what you get, regardless of the aesthetics and for me that is a huge disadvantage.
I have seen some really bad results with the one-hit method and would not recommend it.
• A Home Teeth Whitening Kit.
I have used and recommended this kind of treatment for years. It is absolutely the best and safest route to take for whitening teeth and gives the patient the best possible chance of getting the colour of their teeth right.
The advantages are – safe and simple to use, very cost-effective, very difficult to overdo it.
The only disadvantage is it can take a week or more to achieve the correct result. But when you see the alternatives, it really is a small price to pay.