Posts in category: Clear Aligners

Teeth whitening or teeth bleaching is a dental treatment to whiten the human teeth. It is an aesthetic procedure. Many patients ask me 2 doubts

1) Whether dental cleaning or scaling is same as dental bleaching?
Absolutely NO. Dental scaling is a procedure to remove teeth stains, plaque and calculus. It is done  to improve oral hygeine.

2) Can yellow teeth become white again?
Absolutely YES. Dental bleaching is the process to whiten your teeth. You can read on to know more about the teeth whitening benefits and risks.

The normal human teeth colour is yellowish white. But some patients feel that their teeth are extremely yellow. Such patients will find dental bleaching a very worthy and fruitful treatment. Extremely yellow teeth are mainly due to the inherent shade of one’s tooth just like skin colour. A point to note is that skin colour (mainly fair skinned) can cause your teeth to look relatively more yellowish. 

This blog’s purpose is to provide expert-backed information on teeth whitening benefits and risks empowering patients to make informed decisions.

How does Teeth Whitening work?

Dental bleaching can be classified by three factors

I) Type of bleaching:

• Chemical 
• Laser 

II) Type of teeth 

• Vital teeth 
• Non-vital teeth 

III) Area of procedure 

• In-office 
• Home bleach 

Let’s look in to each of the above in simple words.

• Chemical bleach: Just as in hair bleach, a chemical is used for the bleaching process The basic chemical used is hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide (varying in concentration used). It is applied on the teeth 2-3 times in one session and the entire procedure can take approximately 45 minutes.
  
• Laser bleach: As the name suggests, Laser is used. But it also involves using the above said chemicals. Lasers are used to get faster and better results, The cost is also higher.
  
• Vital bleach: The procedure is done in live or normal teeth.
  
• Non Vital Bleach: In certain conditions, due to history of trauma to the teeth, the teeth can become grey in colour over the years which is indicating the tooth is becoming dead. Such teeth can also be whitened.
  
• In-office bleach: The procedure is done at the dental clinic and is more effective.
  
• Home bleach: The procedure can be done by self at home. The concentration of the bleaching agent is comparatively less when compared to in-office bleach. So it is less effective. Home bleach is usually used as touch ups after a few months of in-office bleach treatment inorder to maintain the whiteness obtained. 
  

Benefits of Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is commonly recommended to people who are

• Not confident to smile because of their tooth colour
• Dissatisfied with his/her own teeth colour.
• Media personnel: Professional who host TV shows, concerts
• Models: For ads, TV commercials
• Candidates attending an interview
• To enhance cosmetic treatment.
  

Teeth whitening risks

There are no risks as such. Proper treatment planning is a must for dental bleaching. The patient must convey their expectations (the shade of white they are expecting) from the treatment. Such communications can help the dentist to plan and advise a proper bleaching procedure. 

Do you have doubts on what the patient should do after a teeth whitening session? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

After the procedure, the patient can expect teeth sensitivity (which is absolutely temporary). Such sensitivity can be reduced or avoided by continuously wetting your teeth with saliva by running one’s tongue over the treated teeth. Moreover, your dentist will advise an anti-sensitive paste. Avoiding hot or cold foods for 24 hours after the procedure can help too.

For a week, food items or drinks which must be avoided are carbonated beverages, alcohol, tea or coffee without milk, any food with artificial colours, turmeric.

How long does teeth whitening last?

Teeth whitening is a temporary process which  lasts for 4-6 months. But dental bleaching touch ups can be done at home itself to maintain the whiteness.

Importance of a Professional Approach in the Teeth Whitening Process

It is always advisable to go for a professional approach in the teeth whitening process. It is similar to colouring one’s own hair. Without a professional approach, colour can get uneven and also there are teeth conditions (broken teeth, abraded teeth, crowns) wherein teeth whitening is contraindicated and/or is ineffective. So always get dental bleaching done under supervision of a dentist. 

Home bleaching is useful for touch ups to maintain the whiteness after a 6 month period of professional bleaching.

To conclude, proper planning by the dentist can be done after a consultation, where the dentist can help clear your doubts regarding the procedure and its effectiveness.When executed properly, teeth whitening can definitely help boost your confidence and help you smile better.

So if you are a person who always wanted to whiten your teeth, I hope this blog helped solve your basic doubts. To know more, kindly do a dental consultation to get your teeth whitened and smile confidently.

Do you want to get your teeth straightened without having the wires on your teeth? Before I go into the details, I want to tell you about a patient named AB. AB wanted to get her teeth straightened and after providing different treatment options, the patient went ahead with normal braces. After she had it put on, the patient reported back after a week saying she wanted to remove it and go for a more comfortable alternative. She just could not bear the poking wire and irritation caused due to the braces. She then opted for clear aligners, which is a more comfortable and aesthetic alternative.

 I am not trying to say that normal braces are harmful or irritating but I am just highlighting the fact that there are patients who cannot tolerate the initial discomfort of normal braces and there are others who want a more transparent (aesthetic) option. For these reasons, Clear Aligners are the best option.

Orthodontic therapy is the type of dental therapy done to straighten teeth.  Normal braces are the conventional type braces with brackets (attachments)  bonded to each tooth and wires are placed. At the same time Clear Aligners are removable plastic trays that are customized for each patient.

Many patients or friends regularly ask me which type of orthodontic therapy they should go for. This blog will help my readers compare the two options and decide what is right for them. 

What Are Clear Aligners? 

Clear Aligners are removable thermoplastic customized trays to correct your teeth alignment.  They come under different lab names like Invisalign, Flash Aligners, Clear Correct, etc.

The treatment process includes

• Diagnosis: A proper diagnosis of the tooth problem is the most important factor before going ahead with your treatment. An orthodontist is the specialist who can help you with which appliance best works for you. Radiographs and photographs will have to be taken to confirm your treatment plan.
• Impressions or 3D scans: Teeth impression or 3D scan is taken to record your teeth condition.
  
• Treatment planning: Different treatment plans are made to discuss with the patient.
  
• Manufacturing and delivery of Aligners: The concerned lab will start manufacturing your aligners once the treatment plan is finalised. 
• Aligner fitting: When the aligners have arrived, it is tried on the patient to check its fitting.
• Treatment: Then the treatment starts under the guidance of your Orthodontist.

During the treatment, each set of aligners ( upper and lower ) are worn for approximately 10 days and 22 hours per day. 

If you ask me “Can you eat with the aligners on?”, it is a NO. 

There are 2 reasons :

1. you cannot chew with your aligners and it can fracture or crack if you bite on something hard.
2. Food can get stuck on the aligner, you will find it difficult to clean it. So it is ideal to remove them before every meal and wear them immediately after your meals. Moreover, it will never affect your wear timings as you have to wear them 22 hours only.

Are aligners painful? While wearing your aligners, each new set will tend to cause tooth soreness as your teeth are moving but it will be only for a day or two.

What are the benefits of clear aligners?

• Aesthetics: Virtually invisible.
  
• Comfort: Generally more comfortable and less painful than traditional braces
  
• Removability: Eat and drink whatever you want, easier to clean your teeth.
  
• Convenience: Fewer in-office visits. It is always good to visit your orthodontist every month to know if the treatment is on track. But due to location limitations or work-related travel, you can do a check-up in 2-3 months as long as you wear them properly as advised. I want to highlight this because many times patients (especially those who cannot consult the doctor on a regular basis) feel that wearing it will help in achieving the perfect result. This is not entirely true because there are occasions where the aligners fitting may not be proper and the patient will not be aware of the same and they keep progressing to the next aligners but the tooth will not move as planned. So it is imperative to do regular check ups with your orthodontist or an orthodontist assigned at a different location under the advice of your orthodontist.
  

What Are Traditional Braces? 

Traditional braces known as Dental braces in general have been in practice for a long time now. As time advanced, there were many advances in orthodontic materials. It basically has brackets bonded to your teeth and wires are placed for the tooth movement. The treatment process includes: 

• Diagnosis  & Treatment Planning: Similar to clear aligner therapy, the Orthodontist must examine and may have to take models, radiographs, and photographs to confirm your treatment plan.
•  Treatment: The treatment starts when the Orthodontist places your fixed braces on your teeth
•  Appointment and follow ups: Monthly appointments are a must for traditional braces. If the patient does not properly follow the appointment, there will be a delay in treatment and it can get prolonged.   

Benefits of traditional braces:

• Effectiveness: Traditional braces are still more effective in treating complex orthodontic cases as of date. When compared with normal braces, Clear Aligner are not so effective but can treat certain complex cases due to advances in research and development.
  
• Cost: It is more affordable than Clear Aligners.
  
• Treatment time: Treatment duration usually depends on many factors such as teeth condition, severity of the teeth malalignment, age, etc. Depending on the said factors, treatment duration ranges from 6 months to 2 years. 

How to decide between Clear Aligners or Traditional Braces?

Always remember Clear aligners or traditional braces are just means to achieve the treatment aim or they are just tools for orthodontic therapy. Given below are the criteria to decide between the two.

• Comfort: Aligners are far more comfortable compared to traditional braces.
  
•  Food diet: Traditional braces have limitations in diet. You cannot eat a hard diet as it can lead to breakages of the components of the braces. Even sticky food can be difficult to clean. Such issues will not occur with clear aligners as they are to be removed before meals.
  
• Aesthetics: Clear Aligners are the most Aesthetic or Transparent orthodontic appliance till date.
  
• Time bound: If you are time bound in completing your treatment, Clear aligner will be a better option as the treatment plan can exactly predict the treatment duration.
  
•  Non Resident patient: Clear aligners only require checkup in 2-3 months. So if you are a non resident, clear aligner is the right choice.
  
• Non compliance: If you feel you will not wear the aligners as per schedule or cannot be compliant with the treatment protocol, it is better to go ahead with normal fixed braces.
  
• Age: As you age, patients tend to seek aesthetic appliances. So Clear aligners or Ceramic braces are good options.  

Dental problems that Clear aligners can treat

Aligners can treat the following cases