cosmetic & anti-aging dentistry
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by Dr Chan Joon Yee For patients who want to see instant results and don't want to take the trouble to put on and take out their bleaching trays every day, they may opt for the second method of tooth whitening which is chairside bleaching. Of course, there is no DIY package for this technique and 38% hydrogen peroxide is often used. The major advantage for this technique is that it will only take 2 one-hour visits to achieve significant results. The preliminary step of taking impressions and constructing bleaching trays is not required for this method, but we strongly recommend a maintenance kit after chairside whitening. The dentist first constructs a dam to protect the gums from the strong chemical effect of the bleaching gel. Then, he would apply a coating of bleaching gel to the visible surfaces of the teeth.
Systems incorporating a pricey light source are always more expensive than those that don't. Self-activated systems are equally effective.
After being allowed to bleach for about 15 minutes, the activated gel (red coating in picture) is vacuumed off and another layer is applied. This process is repeated several times and with every repetition, the teeth will whiten a little. One major disadvantage of this method is that the patient will have to sit in the chair with his/her mouth open for an hour or so. The whiter one wants his teeth to be, the longer he'll need to maintain that tiring posture and the more valuable chair time he'll be taking up. Unlike home bleaching gels which don't require any activation and can keep longer, activated chairside bleaching gels expire within a few days. Any excess will have to be thrown away. Another problem is that even with protection, the powerful gel may affect the gums, bleaching them white and giving a painful, burning sensation. However, the effect is transient and the gums normally regain their original colour after a few hours. Chairside bleaching can be complemented or maintained with an additional take home kit. After having customised bleaching trays fabricated, the user can just purchase refills in future and maintain the whitening effect at his/her own time and convenience.
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Some chairside bleaching systems "require" a light to work. Actually, they don't. The whitening process is not a photochemical process. Many whitening systems that require lights are just rip-offs. Some systems, like the one shown in the picture, are chemically activated and do not require any special equipment.
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