Bleaching Discolored Teeth

Summary The earliest efforts to bleach teeth go back more than a century and focused on the search for an effective bleaching agent to paint on discolored teeth. In the early 1960s, Goldstein developed the first commercial bleaching light for in-office bleaching of vital teeth. The choice of techniques employed for bleaching pulpless teeth will depend on the degree of discoloration and patient compliance. This chapter provides current concepts and the latest scientific evidence in tooth bleaching that can fulfill patient's desire for a whiter and brighter smile. Matrix bleaching refers to bleaching procedures that the patient uses outside the dental office. The chapter describes the advantage of having a dentist involved in home bleaching, with the correct diagnosis and decision on appropriate treatment, the recognition and management of side effects, and the use of more potent or highly viscous materials.