What is home bleaching?
By means of a gel in flexible trays you brighten your teeth at home.
This is a trend from the USA, where about 90% of all dentists’ offices (surgeries) offer this therapy!
Healthy dental enamel is not destructively attached.

The way Home Bleaching Gel works
The bleaching of teeth is based on carbamide peroxide as a component.
Unlike mechanical polishing of the teeth, which removes deposited discoloration, the gel has a chemical effect on the inside of the teeth.
Hydrogen peroxide and urea are obtained.
Hydrogen peroxide decomposes into oxygen radicals which penetrate into the tooth.
Incorporated colorants are thus reduced to colourless cleavage products (e.g. Fe2O3 to FeO).
At the same time, the teeth are temporarily dehydrated (water removal), so that if the gel is used excessively, the teeth can become hypersensitive.
The process has been tried and proven scientifically and is recognised as being lastingly effective.

Where does home bleaching make sense?
In the case of persons from the age of 35, studies have shown a markedly darker tooth colour than with younger people.
Colouring foodstuffs penetrate the tooth through cracks and areas of porosity.
Discoloration is also known to occur as a result of medicines or also after root canal treatment.
On existing dental work, no brightening occurs.

An adjustment of the patient’s own teeth to an already existing brighter denture makes sense, as new production for colour adjustment can be avoided.
- age-induced discoloration
- discoloration by coffee, tea, cigarettes etc.
- discoloration by medicines
- teeth which have turned grey as a result of root canal treatment
- fluorosis (stains caused by excessive use of fluoride)
- colour adjustment of patient’s own teeth to the existing
- brighter dental prosthesis
- patient’s own teeth brighter without preparation of ceramic crowns

Restrictions
- heavily worn teeth with exposed dentin
- teeth with exposed dental necks and roots
- deep cracks in the enamel
- decayed teeth
- teeth with leaky (defective) fillings or crowns
- do not use on pregnant women or on children
- do not use in the case of an allergy to the components

Side-effects
Due to the way of working, water is removed from the teeth, a fact which, in the case of over-frequent and excessively long exposure, leads to sensitivity.
If the therapy is discontinued, the hypersensitivity disappears again.
Dental decay, leaky (defective) fillings or crowns and exposed dental necks also cause hypersensitivity.
The colour of fillings and dentures already present possibly no longer matches that of the brightened teeth.
Surplus gel irritates the mucous membranes, as it escapes from the trays and can no longer act on your teeth.
- sensitive teeth
- irritation of mucous membrane
- no brightening of fillings and dentures

Prospects of success with home bleaching
Brightening is certain, even if every person responds differently to the application.
After 3 – 7 applications, the first success can be seen.

Less success can be expected in the case of:
- bluish grey teeth
- very severely discoloured teeth
- teeth with deep grooves
- fluoroses (stains due to excessive use of fluoride)
- marked tetracycline discoloration