Dental cleaning known as scaling and polishing is the mechanical biofilm management performed by the dentist for the patient. It is the technique of removing plaque and calculus from the teeth and surrounding tissues. Plaque is a film of bacteria on the surface of the teeth. When plaque is not cleaned, it mineralizes and forms calculus. Calculus is rough, hard, and yellowish and it is difficult to clean with a toothbrush. Scaling and polishing is done to remove the calculus deposits on the teeth and prevent gum disease that can be caused by the bacteria present in the plaque and calculus. To have a healthy oral cavity, it is important to brush twice daily, floss regularly, and visit the dentist twice a year to have routine scaling and polishing done.
If plaque and calculus are not removed, there will be more deposit accumulation leading to cavities, progression of gum diseases, and bad breath which may eventually lead to the patient losing the teeth.
Scaling and polishing is not a method of whitening the teeth even though the tooth may appear slightly whiter after the calculus deposits have been removed.
TEETH WHITENING
To make the teeth appear whiter, dentists use a procedure called teeth whitening which is a form of bleaching to lighten the shade of the teeth. Teeth whitening is usually done in the dental office with the help of a bleaching solution and laser light. the gums and soft tissues are covered to protect them from the acid and the bleaching solution is placed on the surface of the teeth. The laser light is placed on the teeth for 10-15mins. After, the solution is washed off exposing the brightened teeth. It is important to note that, colored foods like white wine and palm oil can discolor the teeth in the first 24- 48hrs after teeth whitening. Teeth whitening is not a permanent solution for having whiter teeth because the teeth tend to discolour after a few months depending on the food you eat.
VENEERS
Tooth veneers are a more permanent solution to having whiter teeth. They can also be used to treat different dental pathologies like chipped or broken teeth, discoloured teeth that cannot be fixed with whitening, and teeth which are smaller than the rest of the teeth.
It is a layer of dental tooth coloured material placed over the surface of the teeth to improve on the colour, the shape of the teeth, and the patient’s overall smile. They are made with a dental material called composite or porcelain into thin shells and cemented permanently on the teeth.
Composite veneers are done in the dental chair. The dentist will reduce the surface of the tooth slightly, pick the shade of the composite that matches the rest of your teeth then bond the composite to the teeth.
Porcelain veneers are made by reducing the surface the teeth slightly, an impression/mold of your teeth is taken and sent to the lab where the porcelain veneers will be fabricated and returned to the dentist to be cemented on your teeth.
The choice of composite or porcelain veneers depends on different factors
- patient’s specific needs
- cost
- what the dentist recommends is best for the patient
Some differences between composite and porcelain veneers include-
- porcelain is more expensive
- porcelain may require more than one visit to the dentist but they last longer than composite veneers. With proper care of the teeth, veneers last between 7 – 15years
- porcelain is less likely to stain
- composite is easier to install and easier to fix when they are damaged
