From the beginning of mankind, people have been striving for the ideal of beauty and youth, keeping it, at least hidden, as a desire up to this day. In our culture, one of the indicators of health and vitality is certainly the whiteness and beauty of a smile. In line with these aspirations, a part of dentistry is specialized and devoted to aesthetics. After achieving maximum in terms of function and rehabilitation, today’s dentistry evolves and achieves superior aesthetic performance.

There are different methods to achieve a more beautiful, lighter and more harmonious appearance of teeth. The method that is most commonly used and that gives the fastest and obvious results is tooth bleaching or whitening. Even though there has passed more than a hundred years since the first teeth whitening attempts, many questions still arise: Is it possible? Does it damage my teeth? Is it safe? How long does the effect lasts?

After many years of experience, we can professionally claim that teeth whitening is a safe, minimally invasive procedure, which, with occasional renewal, achieves top results. Despite the advertised home-bleaching products, the best effects and maximum safety are achieved with bleaching supervised and monitored by a dentist.

In “Vunjak team” dental clinic we use market proved products of reputable German manufacturers.

What does the procedure look like?

Your dentist will first talk to you about your expectations, define the current and the targeted teeth color. After examining your teeth and gums, the dentist will determine which bleaching technique is optimal for you. No matter which technique is applied, periodontal preparation is necessary. In case there are no current periodontal problems (gum defects), this involves only the removal of dental plaque and pigments by an ultrasound device, as well as polishing teeth.

The teeth whitening treatment can be carried out exclusively in medical conditions (in “Vunjak team” dental clinic) or in combination, at home.

Ordinary tooth whitening is achieved by using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide in gel, which is activated by using light, heat, laser or chemicals.

The procedure implies:

• Ensuring the protection of surrounding gums from the reaction on chemical components.
• Application of the chemicals to the surfaces of the teeth we want to blush, three times in 15 minutes.

The total duration of the treatment is one hour.

Avital teeth (teeth with extracted nerve) are prone to greying, and some patients are interested in bleaching exclusively one tooth of that kind. Then we use the so-called “Internal” tooth whitening technique, when a bleaching chemical is applied in the dental channel itself.

Combined, at home method, in 5 to 10 days provides gradual whitening of vital teeth. High-quality gels are used, based on carbamide peroxide concentration of 10-22%.

The gel is applied in a small volume in individually made foils the patient wears at night, while sleeping. Since the foil is made of fine soft plastic and precisely fits on the surface of teeth, its wearing is comfortable and allows smooth sleep. The dentist prescribes which gel concentration will be used, as well as how much nights it is necessary to be applied in order to get the best possible results from the treatment.

The procedure is simple and it is implemented in several steps:

• Taking a foil print film, determining the existing and target teeth color
• Delivering foil and gel to a patient with detailed training and advice on the usage
• Control at the end of the agreed treatment

In a small percentage of patients, hypersensitivity may occur couple of days after starting this treatment. They can be advised to gradually adjust by applying the treatment slowly, one hour during day (instead overnight), then every second day for one hour more. Another option is to alternately wear a bleach gel film one night, and the next night with some of the fluorine-based preparations that further strengthen the tooth.

Teeth whitening is a quick, effective and safe method that contributes to a beautiful smile, hence improves our self-satisfaction and self-confidence.

If you feel that your teeth need bleaching, contact your dentist.

Dental clinic Vunjak team is at your disposal in the city center of Belgrade (Brankova street, nr. 11) or online.

Fear of pain is inherent to man. It’s a kind of protection mechanism. A dental fear or dentofobia is an exaggerated fear of exposure to dental intervention. This is a situation that most often leads to poor oral health.

WHY THAT FEAR?

The reasons for fear of a dentist can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect experiences.
Dentofobia can be caused by a bad experience that a patient has experienced in some time in life with a dentist. Poorly performed dental treatment, insensitivity and lack of interest by a dentist can lead to traumas that are hard to forget.
For indirect causes of dentofobia, knowledge about the poor experiences of own relatives with their dentist or negative information related to dentistry in general is linked. Finally, a particular stimulus can develop fear from the dentist. For example, due to a poor medical (hospital) experience in a context that has nothing to do with dental care, the patient develops dentofobia. As a result, there is a fear of white coat, from the smell of antiseptics, the sound of the turbine, etc.

HOW TO OVERCOME IT?

Dentofobia can be treated after determining its cause. We can remind of different solutions. It is possible to contact a psychotherapist or a psychologist. Then, it is possible to calm the patient wuth sedatives (sedation by medical therapy). Curing through hypnotherapy is possible prior to dental intervention. This is a gentle method by which the patient develops confidence in the dentist. Vunjak team has knowledge in this field and you can contact us for necessary consultations.

What is an Orthopan?

Orthopan is a X-ray snapshot that is completely irreplaceable in dentistry for decades. This is a recording of solid dental tissues and bones as well as a recording of existing cavities (sinuses, nasal cavity). That shot is done by an orthopantomograph. On it a dentist can see caries of teeth, bone processes and changes in the sinuses.

Difference between regular Orthopan & 3D Orthopan?

3D is a more modern and better version that allows the dentist to see all dimensions much better and has become the golden standard before implant procedure, because it allows us to see the width of the bone, height and density as well as the relation to the surrounding anatomical structures such as the mandibular canal, under the sinus , etc., and these are all information necessary for the successful implant installation.