Teeth Whitening and Aesthetic Dentistry

Dr. SETO Wing Chun, Adrian

Clinical Associate in General Dentistry

Prosthodontics

Thanks to the advance in dental technology, dentistry is now more than about prevention and treatment. Personalised aesthetic treatments can give you new confidence with a great smile and pearly white teeth.

Teeth Whitening

As one of the most common dental aesthetic treatments, teeth bleaching makes teeth whiter and brighter with an oxidising agent. This medicament penetrates the enamel and dentin layers, and the whitening effect usually lasts for 1 to 2 years and varies from person to person. Quicker results can be achieved with the more recent LED light whitening method, which involves an hour of LED lighting per session. On the other hand, professionally prescribed tooth whitening kits may take longer time, but the outcome is comparable to LED lighting. 

A tooth may appear yellowish when dying or dark after injury. The colour change is usually not reversible with normal white whitening procedures. To restore whiteness, root canal treatment is mandatory before performing internal bleaching, which takes a few days to a week.    

Teeth bleaching does not cause permanent damage to teeth. Minor change of the enamel surface is usually transient and reversible, making it suitable for most people except pregnant or breastfeeding women (as the bleaching agent may be absorbed by the foetus). It is also not recommended to children and teenagers aged below 20, as well as those with untreated dental caries, tetracycline-stained teeth, periodontitis, dental erosion, enamel damage, large tooth pulp or allergy to the bleaching agent.

Aesthetic Dentistry and Digital Smile Design (DSD)

Good-looking teeth are not just about colour. If you look for better alignment or improved occlusion after orthodontic treatment, personalised prosthodontics is your choice.

Teeth enhancement can now be tailored for individual’s needs with a computer programme called “Digital Smile Design” (DSD), which enables higher precision in tooth reshaping with 3D printing simulation. Drawing and precise measurement on the facial and intra-oral photos, the patient’s smile is designed and modified based on detailed facial analysis and simulation. After scanning of the patient’s oral structure, a digital design of perfect tooth form can be made in a blink. Then a 3-D resin model is printed out according to this design. Followed by this, the designed teeth are transferred to the patient’s mouth via a mockup which is created using tooth-coloured resin materials, and is further revised until satisfactory. It enables the patient to visualise the full aesthetic outcome and ensure his/her satisfaction before actual treatment begins.     

When conventional veneers are used to improve colour and alignment, tooth surface is first trimmed by about 0.6 -1 mm, sometimes in excess. As trimming is irreversible, the less trimmed the better. The cutting-edge digital technology allows dentists to better understand the patient’s tooth shape and alignment, thereby working out the best outcome with least trimming. 

1. The patient’s front tooth died and darkened after an accident a few years ago. She received root canal treatment and underwent internal bleaching, followed by restoration using a porcelain crown and veneers on other teeth. The “new” front teeth now look natural and consistent in colour with the rest of her teeth.

2. Due to poor dental care, extensive cavities and yellowish teeth are noted in this patient. Thanks to DSD, the patient’s teeth are now in perfect shape after restoration with porcelain crowns and veneers.

3. With DSD, only 4 porcelain veneers are required to restore good-looking and white teeth.

4. DSD enables patients to visualise the aesthetic outcome before actual treatment begins.

5. With DSD, patients can also have a more realistic expectation of the outcome based on their teeth condition and appropriate treatment.

6. As far as treatment is concerned, DSD facilitates discussion among patients, dentists and other dental personnel.

7. Restore great smile with porcelain veneers.

8. Porcelain veneers are almost indistinguishable from real teeth in terms of texture and contour.

(Photos provided by the contributor)