Whether your teeth are stained, discolored, or tinted, it can be difficult to feel your best. Luckily, with today’s innovative dentistry world, there are a variety of treatment options and procedures that can help you get the smile of your dreams. Your dental team can provide you with professional teeth whitening services that can help your smile sparkle a little brighter than before. Here is everything you need to know about teeth whitening and how our team can help you achieve your best and brightest smile.
Teeth Whitening: Everything You Need to Know
No matter the type of professional whitening treatment you opt for, they all work virtually the same way. Special solutions are used to target specific areas in the enamel of your teeth that have become affected by stains and discoloration. Over time, your teeth can fall victim to stains and tinting due to diet, hygiene habits, and lifestyle behaviors like smoking and drinking. Teeth whitening procedures work to slowly brighten surface stains on your teeth.
Options for Teeth Whitening
Though there may be other over-the-counter options for whitening your teeth, it is best to always trust your dental team with your oral well-being. There are two main options for professional teeth whitening offered by dentists:
- In-office whitening: This whitening option is becoming less common, as it can require many visits and the use of costly equipment. With in-office whitening treatments, your dentist applies a solution to your teeth that must sit for up to 60 minutes. Over the course of many visits, your teeth will whiten to the shade you desire.
- At-home whitening systems: This whitening option is becoming more common among the dental community. It allows for customization and convenience. With this treatment, your dentist uses your dental impression to create customized trays to use at home. Within a few weeks, your trays are made and include a specialized solution that slowly bleaches your teeth. Depending on each person’s individual needs, your dentist provides specialized instructions for use.
Teeth Whitening Procedures: What to Expect
With in-office teeth whitening, your dentist will use special tools and equipment to protect your gums and other areas of your mouth. He or she then uses a bleaching agent and applies it to your teeth after thoroughly cleaning and prepping them. Depending on the severity of your discoloration and the solution used, this can take up to an hour to complete. This must be completed in-office every few weeks until your teeth have reached the desired color.
Professional at-home whitening systems created by your dental team begin with an appointment where your dentist takes impressions of your mouth. These impressions are used as a mold to create your customized whitening trays. The personalized trays typically take 1-2 weeks to be fabricated but can be used as soon as your dentist is assured they fit properly.
Your dentist sends the whitening system home with you, and, depending on the system’s type and your needs, you will wear the trays either a few times a day or overnight. A special whitening solution must be added to the trays and the time it takes to reach your desired tint is dependent on a variety of factors.
Risks and Special Considerations
There are few risks associated with professional teeth whitening procedures. Safe and effective, the most commonly reported side effect is tooth sensitivity following the procedure. This sensitivity often goes away but should be reported to your dentist in the event that it does not. Your whitening treatment plan can be altered to suit sensitivity issues.
Though everyone can benefit from whiter, brighter teeth, it’s important to understand that professional teeth whitening is not an option for everyone. If you have other dental problems, for example, the success of a whitening procedure can be affected. Problems like cavities, decay, or gum disease must first be treated. And whitening treatments may not change the color of teeth where discoloration is caused by decaying roots, receding gums, etc.
It is also important to remember that professional whitening treatments do not provide immediate results. Though you may notice some differences quickly, it will take time to produce the results you desire.
The Cost of Teeth Whitening
The financial cost of teeth whitening treatments can vary greatly, depending on a variety of factors. The type of whitening treatment you receive, dental insurance, coverage and benefits, and the severity of your problem can all have strong bearings on the overall cost. Taking all of these things into consideration, the average national cost of an in-office whitening treatment is between $600-$650, per visit. Professional at-home whitening systems differ greatly, costing anywhere from $100-$400 for the entire system. And unlike in-office procedures, you only pay for your teeth whitening system once.
Maintaining Your Brilliantly-White Smile
Professional whitening treatments provided by your dentist are not permanent solutions. For the same reasons your teeth stained or discolored before, it will happen again. If you participate in unhealthy behaviors like smoking or consume a lot of tooth-staining foods and drinks, it is more likely that your whitening will fade faster. With the proper care and lifestyle behaviors, you can keep your smile brighter and whiter.
Here are a few things you can do to maintain your pearly whites after getting your teeth whitened:
- Continue to follow good oral hygiene practices. Brush your teeth with an ADA-approved toothbrush twice each day. Remember to floss and use a high-quality rinse to kill germs and prevent stains.
- Try to avoid food and beverages that not only stain your teeth but can aid in decay and infection, like soda and coffee, sugary foods, etc.
- Don’t forget to touch-up your whitening. It is recommended that teeth whitening treatments be completed every 6-12 months for optimum results.
At Smiles by Design, we specialize in cosmetic, family, and sleep disorder dentistry. Our professional staff is dedicated to giving each and every one of our patients the very best in oral health. To find out more about how we can help you customize your smile, contact our office today to schedule your appointment! If you’re not local to Syracuse NY, try finding a local dentist in your area that can help you.