PAP+ Whitening Technology
In keeping with our penchant for subverting the traditional dental experience, The Thirty Two uses the very latest in PAP+ whitening technology to craft an experience that delivers frosty white teeth, without the icy sensitivity.
How does whitening work?
Teeth can be stained by colours in various foods and drinks that adhere to the surface of your enamel.
Whitening (a.k.a chemical bleaching) works by oxidising and breaking down the molecules in enamel that hold these stains.
Some common bleaching agents include Hydrogen Peroxide, Carbamide Peroxide and Phathalimidoperoxycaproic Acid (PAP).
What are potential side-effects of whitening?
Certain whitening agents have been shown to erode the enamel surface, cause severe sensitivity of the teeth, and also produce acid burns on the gums.
Traditional Hydrogen Peroxide (HP) works by using reactive oxygen species (ROS) to dissolve organic molecules that cause stains, but it also results in dissolving of enamel proteins. This is why excessive use of HP can result in porous and brittle enamel that can also result in an unsightly, chalky, appearance.
Sensitivity is caused when the ROS migrates down microscopic tubes from the enamel surface to the nerves deep within the tooth (triggering severe sensitivity, also known as a ‘zinger’ response).
What’s the difference between Peroxide and PAP?
Peroxide and PAP both use oxidisation to break down stains. However, peroxide releases ROS, or free radicals, that can also cause erosion of the enamel, gum burns and sensitivity.
PAP, however, breaks down the discoloured molecules without the release of free radicals, which results in significantly minimising these side effects. This technology has been used for over 100 years in multiple other industries for chemical bleaching, however, has more recently been successfully appropriated into dental bleaching.
What is PAP+?
PAP+ is a unique formulation with added minerals (Potassium Citrate and nano-Hydroxyapatite) that help to harden enamel; this allows us to give you a cosmetic and therapeutic treatment at the same time.
I’ve whitened my teeth before and not had great results - what went wrong?
Some teeth have a darker appearance due to factors within the tooth (intrinsic staining), rather than staining on the outside (extrinsic staining). For example, grinding or clenching of the teeth can result in darkening of the dentine (darker layer of tooth under enamel), which results in overall darkening of the tooth that is not treatable with traditional whitening methods.
Another common cause of darker teeth is acid erosion of the enamel. In the presence of acidic elements in the diet (such as excessive and/or frequent consumption of fruit and fruit juice, fizzy drinks, apple cider vinegar, lemon water or sugar), the enamel can erode and become porous.
This results in the dentine layer shining through, causing a darker/duller appearance.
How can PAP+ help with teeth that haven’t responded that well to whitening in the past?
90% of enamel is made up of hydroxyapatite; the nano-hydroxyapatite minerals in PAP+ whitening solutions can help to block microscopic holes in porous enamel, thereby blocking the darker dentine layer underneath.
What happens when no whitening treatments work?
In some cases, teeth whitening doesn’t give us the desired results. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
The next step is to explore conservative options to add whiter layers to the surface of the tooth with composite or porcelain. Our cosmetic experts will guide you through the pros and cons of each option.
What do I need to know about tooth whitening, I couldn’t be bothered reading all of the above?
OK big shot, here are the cliff notes:
Traditional whitening methods can cause sensitivity, gum burns and erosion of the enamel
PAP+ whitens teeth without sensitivity and gum burns, and has also shown that it actually hardens enamel with its added nano-hydroxyapatite minerals (which are the building blocks of teeth)
PAP+ may work better on teeth with darkening from within the tooth, by making the whiter enamel thicker, thereby blocking the darker dentine layer underneath.
If you want to experience the very latest in teeth whitening technology for yourself, call, text, DM, carrier pigeon us - or simply pound the button below: