The teeth are susceptible to color changes and the appearance of stains, for various reasons, among which are smoking, poor oral hygiene and the consumption of certain foods, such as coffee, tea, red wine and soft drinks gaseous.
Color changes can also be caused by genetic causes, age, the use of some mouthwashes, and the use of certain medications.
To restore the natural color of the teeth and eventually achieve a whiter shade, dentists practice whitening techniques that include the application of whitening agents, such as hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide.
Although there are several types for teeth whitening, in Costa Rica Cero Caries we opt for a simple procedure that patients can perform at home: the application of gel, through the use of silicone Trays.
What does the treatment consist of?
The procedure for the treatment, in the clinic, consists of defining the natural color of the patient’s teeth, the elaboration of the Tray that will keep the gel in contact with the teeth, the supply of the cleaning product and the instructions for use.
It does not take more than an hour, in the fulfillment of the following steps:
- Choose the color that the patient’s teeth are currently showing, with a dental shade guide.
- Make an impression of the teeth, in a material called alginate, by using a special plastic tray. The hardening of the alginate takes between twenty and 30 seconds.
- The alginate impression is cast with plaster to obtain a positive model of the patient’s teeth.
- The plaster model is covered with a silicone sheet and heated in a vacuum suction machine, to obtain a Tray with all the details of the patient’s teeth.
- The whitening kit is delivered to the patient, which consists of custom Trays, five hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide syringes (1.3 grams each) and a box to protect the whitening Trays.
At home, the patient must load the Trays with the syringes and place it in the mouth, before going to bed, for two weeks. Because they fit you perfectly, they don’t cause you any discomfort.
While the patient sleeps, the peroxide breaks down into H2O and oxygen, an element that penetrates the enamel, removes stains from the tooth and lightens the tones.
Precautions
During the whitening period, the patient should maintain optimal dental hygiene, including flossing, mouth washing with hydrogen peroxide, and a white diet , pigment-free foods.
Teeth whitening with Trays is part of the coverage of dental services that can be acquired, by acquiring a Costa Rica Cero Caries membership, which gives you the opportunity to perform a teeth whitening per year, for a period of 10 years.
We invite you to come and learn about the wide variety of dental services that we provide in Costa Rica Cero Caries and value the opportunity to maintain optimal dental health, through our collaborative payment model.