| Laser
Tooth Whitening by Laser
Tooth Whitening
"Gentle, Safe, Fast and Effective
in just 1 visit"
Aesthetic expectations of
patients have increased dramatically over
the last few years leading to an increased
interest in various tooth whitening procedures
available on the market.
Although home bleaching is effective and
has become extremely popular over the past
decade, it nevertheless presents drawbacks.
Patient complaints are often related to
uneasy trays, gum and stomach irritation,
and unpleasant taste. Furthermore, the home
bleaching technique is a time consuming
procedure. In some case the treatment takes
several weeks, and does not always show
the desired results.
Another once popular technique involved
hot bleaching with a heat lamp. Among problems
associated with this technique were increased
tooth sensitivity, pulpitis, etc.
Today's studies and research prove that
laser energy (which is single color light
energy) provides the key to in-office tooth
whitening. The advent of the dental laser
has proven to be the means of alleviating
some of the problems of in-office bleaching.
Since the laser energy potentially accelerates
the chemical reaction, it thereby expedites
the process without raising the temperature
of the teeth, thus avoiding damage to the
pulp.
Laser tooth whitening is safe and will not
soften enamel or existing fillings. The
main ingredient in the gel that's used during
the process is hydrogen peroxide. Dentists
have used hydrogen peroxide solutions to
whiten teeth for years.
| The Chemical Reaction |
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| Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) breaks down
to water (H2O) and a free oxygen radical
(O) The smaller, less pigmented constituents
by rapid oxidation. These compounds
have double bonds and long carbon chains
that are subsequently reduced to smaller
carbon chains and hydroxyl groups, which
eliminate discoloration.
The initiation of bleaching occurs
through the application of laser which
emits monochromatic light at a specific
wavelength absorbed by the catalyst
molecules only, thus accelerating
the release of activated bleaching
molecules.
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Hydrogen peroxide, the most accepted
active ingredient for in-office bleaching,
does not decompose readily, which is
partly why current bleaching procedures
require lengthy visits.
Laser Tooth Whitening has developed a Laser Gel
that, when combined with hydrogen peroxide,
becomes a solution responsive to specific
laser wavelengths resulting in a rapid
production of free oxygen radicals.
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Differentiate Between Laser and Non-Laser
Tooth Whitening
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Laser
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| The laser wavelength output is synchronized
to the proprietary whitening gel, which
increases efficiency and minimizes the
amount of energy required to produce
maximum whitening. This results in shortened
treatment time and increases effectiveness
while eliminating the heating of teeth
that can result in post-operative sensitivity |
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Non-Laser
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| Ordinary non-laser whitening systems
require longer treatment times and higher
energy output because of their inefficiencies.
Non-laser whitening devices use just
a tiny percentage of the polychromatic
light's energy. The rest of the energy
is wasted as heat and light, which is
absorbed by the teeth and adjacent tissues,
which often results in intra-operative
and post-operative sensitivity. |
Etiology Type of Discoloration
Stains Mild Tetracycline stains
Discoloration Caused by tobacco, coffee,
tea or highly colored food
Yellowing Natural aging
Factors & Causes
Tooth color is in most cases an
inherited trait, however, tooth color mainly
depends upon the condition of the teeth,
dental health and lifestyle.
Various factors could lead to tooth darkening
or discoloration. The most common factor
are : the intake of staining fluids, such
as cola, tea, coffee or wine; tobacco; cigarette
smoking and time.
Change in temperature of foods and drinks
allow the teeth to expand and contract,
thus enabling the penetration of stains
onto the teeth.
Foods that are slightly acidic open up the
pores of the enamel and allow stains to
move in. Teeth darken as we age because
the staining factors act upon the teeth
for a longer period of time.
There are also internal causes such as tetracycline
stains, fluorosis, injury, dental work and,
of course, the aging process. Depending
upon the severity of staining, bleaching
will lighten the darkest areas but may not
totally remedy the condition.
Advantages of Diode Laser Tooth
Whitening
*
Dramatic results in less than one hour
*
whitening the stained enamel surface without
overheating the teeth
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No damage to the pulp
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No side effects
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No anesthesia required
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Long term effect
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Proven results over all other methods
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pain-free treatment
Questions & answers
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Q :
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What causes
discolored teeth? |
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A :
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There are many causes of tooth discoloration
such as hereditary factors, external
causes, such as consumption of staining
substances, or internal causes such
as trauma, fluorosis and tetracycline
discoloration. |
|
Q :
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Is the
process safe? |
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A :
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Yes, laser tooth whitening with Laser Tooth Whitening
is the safest procedure today. It was
approved by FDA, USA many years ago.
It does not heat the tooth thus no harm
is done to the pulp. Our Laser Tooth Whitening
system has been specifically developed
and tested to ensure that no harm is
done to either enamel or dentine and
that the PH level is neutral and will
not produce any acidic effect associated
with some other whitening products. |
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Q :
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Will the
procedure hurt? |
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A :
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In general, this is a very simple
procedure where no anesthesia is needed
as no pain is experienced. However,
several patients may experience minor
sensitivity during or following the
procedure. This sensitivity lasts no
more than the first 24 hours and it
can be resolved by taking an analgesic. |
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Q :
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Is the
treatment suitable for everyone? |
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A :
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Basically Laser Tooth Whitening is suitable
for anyone who wishes to lighten his/her
tooth color. Nevertheless, prior to
the treatment, a dental examination
will determine whether or not there
is any condition that might prevent
the treatment from working as it should.
In such an event the dentist will recommend
to undergo the relevant procedure before
beginning the tooth whitening treatment. |
|
Q :
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How white
will teeth get? |
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A :
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Up until today tooth whitening with
Laser Tooth Whitening system have achieved better
results than any other procedure effected
with halogen lamps, heat lamps, argon
and CO2 lasers. However, during consultation
the dentist will go over the patient's
personal expectations and individual
clinical situation in order to achieve
the optimum natural whiteness. |
|
Q :
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How long
will the process take? |
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A :
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The whitening process with Laser Tooth Whitening
will take only 45-60 minutes. |
|
Q :
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How long
will the teeth remain white? |
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A :
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The long-term effect of the treatment
varies from one person to another. Clearly,
Certain habits such as smoking, drinking
coffee, tea and wine, or neglect of
regular cleansing could once again quicken
the darkening process of the teeth.
Assuming regular care is provided (including
dental check-ups), teeth can remain
white for as long as 1-3 years. |
Laser Teeth Whitening
Recent independent clinical studies showed
average whitening results of 9 shades*
24 minutes of total treatment time vs. 60
minutes for leading non-laser systems —
just four minutes of actual laser activation
Laser Tooth Whitening Whitening Gel maximizes whitening
effectiveness through advanced chemistry
and laser-activated chromophores
Better Return On Investment due to shorter
chair time and low per-patient kit costs
* The Journal of Cosmetic Dentistry VOLUME
19: Number 2: 70-73
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One Visit ,In-Office Laser Teeth Whitening
by Bangkok Smile Dental Clinic
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Figure 1.
Teeth are isolated for the
Laser Tooth Whitening ; procedure
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| Figure 3.
Proper application of paint
on dental dam and Laser Tooth Whitening
gel. |
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| Figure 5.
Unretouched clinical photograph
of a 27-year-old male patient
who presented with shade
C1 on the upper arch, and
A3.5 on the lower arch.
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| Figure 7.
Unretouched clinical photograph
of a 49-year-old male patient.
He presented with upper
arch shade A3. |
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| Figure 2.
After proper isolation of
the teeth, the Laser Tooth Whitening
Gel is eventy applied to
the teeth surfaces. |
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Figure 4.
Laser energy is applied
one quadrant at a time.
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Figure 6.
Unretouched clinical photograph
of the same patient, after
treatment. Upper arch now
shade B1; lower arch now
A1.
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Figure 8.
Unretouched clinical photograph
of the same patient after
treatment. Upper arch is
now B1.
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