The Sapphire™ Chairside teeth whitening system.
The Sapphire™ Chairside system is Den-mat Corporation's professional-level whitening product. (Den-mat has a long and active history associated with the development of products used with cosmetic dentistry procedures.)
What type of whitener is used?
The Sapphire™ system utilizes a hydrogen peroxide-based bleaching gel. This whitener has a 25% hydrogen peroxide concentration (which is at the lower end of the typical range for these types of products) and a pH of 7 (which is perfect).
This is one of the few companies that states that they have incorporated a desensitizing agent into their whitener's formulation. This feature can help to minimize the patient's potential for post-bleaching sensitivity. (More about the characteristics of professional teeth whiteners...)
Is a bleaching light used?
The protocol for the Sapphire™ Chairside system states that the use of a bleaching light is optional.
However, for optimal performance, they suggest that Den-mat's plasma arc light unit (named the Sapphire™ Supreme PAC) should be used.
The wavelength of the light emitted from this unit is in the blue-green range.
You should note that if a company recommends that a bleaching light should be used, the implication is that they feel that light of a specific wavelength can activate or enhance some aspect of the whitener's effect. Not all dentists subscribe to this theory.
The Sapphire™ Supreme PAC unit has been designed in a manner where it it filters out the infrared emissions created by light. This feature helps to insure that the teeth being treated don't become over-heated, which is important.
As a point of interest, your dentist probably paid several thousand dollars for their Supreme PAC bleaching light. The light can, however, be used for other dental procedures (as a curing light), not just teeth whitening.
How long do treatments take?
From start to finish, Sapphire™ treatments usually take on the order of 90 minutes or so.
The whitener is typically applied to the patient's teeth for a total duration of one hour (two applications, 30 minutes each). Both the upper and lower teeth are treated simultaneously. Including all of the activities that need to be performed before and after treatment, the total amount of time usually rounds up to about 90 minutes.
Are at-home follow-up treatments recommended?
The protocol for the Sapphire™ system recommends that patients should continue on with at-home treatments after their in-office bleaching session has been performed. They recommend the use of their Sapphire™ After Care whitening product. (More information about why this is done.)
The whitening procedure.
The way a dentist performs Sapphire™ Chairside treatments does not vary greatly from those same steps used with other professional systems.
As for specifics, the Sapphire™ Chairside system, typically includes the use of a paint-on dental dam. And, as mentioned above, the option of "activating" the whitening gel with a bleaching light is left up to the discretion of the dentist.
