Orthodontic Practice Dr. Kathrin Falkenstein in Regensburg · Bleaching damit Ihre neuen Zähne strahlen! Kieferorthopädie Regensburg Dr. Falkenstein

Bleaching


	Now or Never! You have just completed your successful orthodontic treatment and your teeth are finally as straight as you always wanted them to be. Is there any better time than now to have your teeth bleached? Bleaching is a cosmetic procedure to gently brighten your natural teeth. What you should know about bleaching and what's really important, is what we would like to tell you here:

	How does bleaching actually work? An active oxidant is used to remove unsightly discoloring and stains from your teeth. The agent used does not affect the substance of your tooth enamel or dentin. Bleaching is therefore completely safe as long as it is done according to your dentist's or orthodontist's instructions. The active oxidant we use for bleaching enables us to remove even the toughest stains that can't be otherwise removed with normal teeth cleaning methods.

	How do the teeth get discolored? Our teeth tend to get darker as we get older due to various factors in our lives and environment. Some of the most common examples include coffee, tea, and foods or drinks containing food coloring. Discoloring can also be caused by certain spices, red wine, or medications. Smokers, of course, are well aware that smoking leads to discoloring of the teeth. Another cause can be a dead tooth that often loses its natural color and becomes darker.

	The Bleaching Tray We generally differentiate between Home Bleaching that you do yourself at home and In-Office Bleaching done at your orthodontist's or dentist's practice. Our practice has determined that home bleaching with a tray has always proven itself to be a very effective way of completely brightening your teeth. We make a custom tray for you in our lab after taking impressions of your teeth. The tray is shaped such that it optimally covers the gums to protect them from the bleaching agent. (See "Risks" below!)

	How is the tray used? For home bleaching, we give you your custom tray and bleaching gel plus detailed printed instructions on how to bleach your teeth at home. It is important that you read the instructions completely before you start. Bleaching is best done overnight. The first very important step is to clean your teeth thoroughly before using the tray. You then fill the tray with bleaching gel and press it over your teeth before going to bed, then wear it all night while you're sleeping. After only 8 to 12 nights, your teeth will be noticeably brighter. Every time you use the tray, you should clean both your teeth and the tray very thoroughly afterwards. This allows you to save the tray and reuse it later when you want to repeat bleaching treatment, which saves you a lot of money. How soon you should repeat bleaching treatment depends on how often you consume the various foodstuffs that lead to discoloring of the teeth. As a rule, you should probably repeat treatment about every six months. Please note the following about bleaching: Bleaching brightens only your natural teeth; it will have virtually no effect on fillings or crowns.

	Risks: Be wary of over-the-counter bleaching agents! The bleaching agent is not just a cosmetic. Before you start bleaching, you should make sure that your teeth are healthy and well cared for; bleaching gel must not be able to penetrate into the tooth where it could possibly harm the tooth's nerve. Be wary of over-the-counter bleaching agents because they may contain dubious substances in dubious dosages. Also, the tray included with such products has not been custom made for you , i.e., not fitted to personal impressions of your teeth. This means there is no guarantee that the tray will adequately cover your gums, with the consequence that bleaching gel could penetrate the gums.


	Orthodontic Practice in Regensburg Dr. Kathrin Falkenstein · Modern Orthodontics · Lingual Treatment · Gentle Orthodontics Invisible Braces · Analysis of the Temporomandibular Joint · Microimplants