Question:
Are there any reputable places in Bangkok (like BriteSmile in the USA)
where they will do the one-hour teeth whitening procedure. It costs
almosts $400 in the states.
Answer:
I am an American dentist in New York. I have written two textbooks on
the subject of tooth whitening - the latest one in Japanese. I have
also been involved with a dual university project in Bangkok
investigating the best methods of tooth whitening for the last 2
years.
At this point in time I would guess that perhaps the best informed
dentist in the entire country of Thailand regarding tooth whitening is
Dr. Piyawat Phankasol. At the time he began his work with tooth
whitening he was Associate Dean of the dental school at Chulalongkorn.
He is now Chairman of the Department of Maxilofacial Surgery, and one
of the very few board certified prosthodontists in the country.
I would suggest that you get in touch with him for the latest
information. His phone number is 02 311-1986. I am not sure, but I
believe both of the Miss Universe's from Thailand are patients at one
of his clinics.
No, the whitening procedures are no more likely to cause allergic
reactions than brushing your teeth. In other words, if you are
allergic to the materials used you will react, but there is no
recorded incident of allergic reaction to this procedure anywhere in
the world.
You might be thinking of the common side effect of a "transient
thermal sensitivity." This simply means that it is not unusual for
some whitened teeth to become a little sensitive to hot and cold for a
day during the procedure. This clears up on its own and does not come
back.
I should tell you that the "in-office" or "one-hour" tooth whitening
that Happy Clam wrote about actually works - but not very well. A
recent story in Barons about the Brite Smile centers pointed this out.
Right now the best, safest, and most effective way to whiten the teeth
is to have the dentist make a custom "tray" out of thin clear plastic
that fits over the teeth. This tray is so thin and clear that you can
wear it without anyone seeing it. I have even given lectures while
wearing mine just to demonstrate how unnoticeable it is.
A few drops of clear whitening gel is placed in the tray and the tray
is worn for 30-90 minutes for about 2 weeks. The results can be
dramatic.
In my last posting I did not give the phone numbers for all of Dr.
Piyawat's clinics, and a few people have emailed me for them. His
clinic near Erawan (I forget the address) is named Happy Smile. It is
a very upscale clinic with a very international clientele. The number
is 254-8146. Another clinc is named Bundikisol and it is in Sukhumvit
Soi 12. The number there is 311-1986. He also has another clinic
further out on Sukhumvit, but I don't remember the location or number.
If you need that one you can get the number from one of the other two.
