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Take-home systems
Teeth whitening has been a concern of humans for thousands of years, with the first reported account occurring in ancient Egypt. More recently, the most widely used and successful method of dental whitening is bleaching teeth with an ingredient called Carbamide Peroxide, an advanced dental bleach. This system uses a dental tray that has been customized to precisely fit a patient's teeth. This tray is then used in combination with a bleaching agent that has been suspended in a gel. The methodology of this system is that the peroxide gel is applied inside the dental tray and then fitted over the teeth where the bleaching gel oxidizes stains and discoloration into a white color. This tray-based system (also known as a Take-home system) has been the mainstay of dental whitening for decades.
 In-office / chairside method
Today, with the advent of new technology, dental whitening methodologies have evolved even further. With the use of special Light Emitting Diode (L.E.D.) Lights, teeth whitening can occur faster than ever before and has created a new treatment within both dental offices and salon / spa environments. The procedure is very simple and is referred to as the In-office or Chair-side method. With this methodology, a specially formulated bleaching gel is applied directly to the teeth. The patient's lips are held away from the teeth with a device called a lip-retractor. At this time, a special dental light is placed such that it shines directly on the teeth, which creates a rapid, catalyzing effect to the bleaching gel. The L.E.D. lamp emits a light on a special wavelength that expedites the natural oxidizing effect of the bleaching gel. This treatment usually lasts from 10 - 20 minutes and improves the color of teeth from 2 to 7 shades. The more treatments administered to a patient, the whiter the teeth become. Upon completion of the In-office treatment, a patient is provided a Take-home kit or Pen to continue whitening procedures at home. The immediate results obtained with L.E.D. lamps has made the In-office methodology a popular choice among today's consumers. There are various differences between dental lamps, bleaching gel formulations and methodologies. The key is to make sure that all components of the procedure work together to obtain results that are both safe and effective.
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