Dr.Gina Sohn - Tufts Graduate
Licensed in MA, CT, NJ
http://www.drginasohn.com
Tel 02-553-7512 / Overseas 822-553-7512
Yongsan / Itaewon area
Whitening Programs in our clinic
Zoom 2 (In-Office)
Zoom teeth whitening is safe, effective, not painful, and very fast.
One day Zoom
2 Sessions program - Reasonable start !
3 Sessions program - Zoom company recommends this program the most.
Home Teeth Whitening
Customized upper and lower trays with gels are provided and worn for 6 hours per day or over night while sleeping for 1 - 2 weeks.This is more affordable and can conveniently done at home at your own time.
Home whitening is slow but easy and gets you consistent results.
Please, do it once a day, every day, until your teeth get as bright as you want.
Afterwards, to keep up the brightness of your teeth, regular home-whitening once a week or two is recommended.
The Best Regime for the Best Result.
After years of experiences, we find that combining Zoom in-Office with Home whitening is the most cost-effective and gets you the best results.
With Zoom whitening only, your teeth get instantly bright. However, the brightness starts to fade away sooner than you note it. Doing home whitening on a regular basis will offset or slow down this fading-away process.
Before you get committed.
Most people get good results but some don’t.
The whitening results depend on the reaction between your teeth and whitening gels.
Even after your teeth get brighter, it won’t last forever.
Retouching every 3 months or 6 is recommended if you’d like to keep up the whiteness.
This rule applies to every kind of teeth whitening methods.
How Teeth Whitening works ?
Teeth whitening has been used for more than 150 years to improve the appearance of teeth.
Decades of whitening teeth have proven the process to be effective and safe if done according to accepted protocols.
Teeth whitening action is accomplished by release of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide that becomes hydrogen peroxide. The whitening agents are available in various concentrations ranging from 10% carbamide peroxide (equal to 3.4% hydrogen peroxide) to 38% hydrogen peroxide.
The bleaching process allows the oxidizing agent to enter the enamel and dentin to produce a chemical action with discolored particles within the tooth structure. The result makes the molecules reflect less light so the tooth appears lighter.
Several factors or conditions can alter the speed at which whitening occurs.
- The target surfaces must be carefully cleaned.
- Higher concentrations produce a more rapid whitening effect. Higher concentrations are more likely to result in increased tooth sensitivity, though.
- The higher the agent’s temperature, the faster the oxygen release, which speeds the reaction.
- The longer the duration, the greater the degree of whitening is. However, extended periods may increase the likelihood of sensitivity.
- A rubber dam or other protective barrier is mandatory to effectively seal off the gum.
- Tooth sensitivity can occur in at least 50% of patients. Symptoms may begin on the second or third day of tray whitening, starting with an awareness of a “tingling” sensation and/or slight cold sensitivity. Often, this sensitivity diminishes without any significant discomfort. If the patient experiences increasing sensitivity, he or she should cease bleaching for 1 to 2 days. Persistent sensitivity, especially if severe, can be treated with 5% potassium nitrate with fluoride incorporated into a gel similar to bleaching gel. Bleaching-provoked tooth sensitivity is transitory, eventually disappearing even without treatment once the bleaching is completed.
Various methods of tooth whitening procedures achieve some degree of success. Although the specific procedures or techniques differ, all whitening techniques rely on placement of a concentration of hydrogen peroxide or a hydrogen peroxide-releasing solution on the tooth and holding it against the surface for a specified period.
In Office
Currently, in-office procedures use a relatively high concentration of hydrogen peroxide ranging from 25% to 38% in a gel solution. Concentrations as high as 38% hydrogen peroxide produce fast results; however, the ultimate effect is not greater than with at-home tray bleaching with 10% carbamide peroxide. The bleaching agent is applied to the target teeth, and then the teeth are exposed to the light ( Lazer) for 15 to 20 mins. This procedure is repeated two to three times during the appointment. Bleaching lights appear effective at speeding the whitening process for some patients. Generally, three applications per appointment can be accomplished without significant tooth sensitivity during or after the procedure. In-office procedures are effective; however, one appointment is unlikely to be sufficient. This may be the treatment of choice for patients unable or unwilling to undergo the slower at-home procedures.
At Home
The technique is relatively simple and easily accomplished. The only special equipment required is a well-fitting whitening tray designed specifically for the individual patient. The key to success lies in holding the agent in intimate contact with the tooth surfaces for the necessary time.
Carbamide peroxide gel provides some bleaching effect even up to 6 hours after tray insertion. It is at maximal effectiveness for the first 2 hours before its strength begins to diminish. The best recommendation is to advise the patient to wear the tray during sleep. The patient should brush his or her teeth and then insert the tray before bedtime. During sleep, the saliva flow is less and the time that the gel contacts the teeth is maximized. However, patients who do not tolerate wearing the tray during sleep can do the bleaching during the day. For the best benefits from the gel, the patient should wear the tray at least 2 hours. Some systems use a much stronger agent—25% to 38% carbamide peroxide or 10% or higher hydrogen peroxide. These more concentrated agents should be in place for only 30 min. Recommended time to wear the tray varies depending on the agent’s strength.
Over the Counter
OTC products vary widely in efficacy, primarily because of variations in methods of applying and retaining the bleaching agent to the teeth. While the actual bleaching agent may be similar to the dentist-supplied-and-supervised agent, it is the method of placing and holding the agent on the teeth that determines the product’s efficacy. The whitening effect of many OTC products, including toothpastes and mouthwashes, is questionable because of the limited period that they are in contact with the teeth.
Tetracycline medications are very effective antibiotics but can create a dental esthetic problem.
Although tetracycline stains are persistent, stains can be minimized, if not completely eliminated. However,they respond much more slowly than teeth stained by other agents. In fact, whitening tetracycline-discolored teeth may take 2 to 12 months of daily treatment to achieve a satisfactory result.The procedure for whitening these teeth may involve both in-office and at-home whitening procedures. The in-office procedure with 35% hydrogen peroxide serves as a “jump-start” to initiate the process. This is followed by at-home whitenings. If the result is not 100 % satisfactory, further improvement in coloration can be achieved by use of translucent and esthetic porcelain veneers.
