Whether you brush often or not, teeth tend to get stained over time. That’s only natural – you needn’t feel shame over the fact. Still, you don’t have to live with your discolored pearly whites. The better choice is to brighten them with quality teeth whitening! With help from Healthy Smiles Dental Care, this option puts a shine back on your smile. Please keep reading to learn more about it, or book a consultation with our office.
Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
If your oral health is decent, you likely qualify for teeth whitening. The treatment doesn't involve strict must-haves beyond that. Even so, it does benefit some patients more than others.
Overall, the best candidates are those with extrinsic tooth stains. Foods, drinks, and similar factors cause this discoloration. Meanwhile, treatment isn’t as effective for marks beneath the enamel (i.e., intrinsic stains). To be clear, though, whitening helps any patient who wants more confidence in social settings.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
At your initial visit, our team will outline your teeth whitening choices. The first is a take-home kit that brightens your smile more flexibly. Option two is our in-office Zoom! Whitening service, which is done by our dentists.
Take note: the method you choose will impact your treatment timeline. However, either approach should brighten your smile by six to eight shades.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
If you’d prefer to whiten from home, our team will provide a take-home whitening kit. It contains personalized trays and a potent bleaching gel. For treatment, you’ll wear the gel-infused trays for a few hours each day. Your pearly whites will then be brighter in only a couple of weeks!
Naturally, our take-home kits are distinct from those sold in stores. The latter kind don’t work nearly as well. Worse yet, store-bought versions can harm your teeth.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
If you want fast results, try our in-office Zoom! Whitening. It consists of a one-hour dental visit at our practice. There, our team will apply the whitener directly onto your teeth. Once this gel sets, we’ll expose it to a special UV light. This light will then activate the whitener and brighten your smile!
With in-office whitening, you can rest easy. The treatment’s materials are both safe and effective. (The non-toxic gel won’t harm your teeth or gums.)
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
While teeth whitening isn’t permanent, there are ways to help it last. The best ones are:
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Practice Good Oral Care – By brushing twice daily and flossing once daily, you’ll avoid plaque buildup that causes stains. The same applies when you visit the dentist for regular checkups and cleanings.
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Avoid Stain-Agents – Go easy on foods and drinks with tannins, which are compounds that stain teeth. Thes relevant items include red wine, berries, coffee, etc.
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Eat Dairy – If you eat dairy products, you’ll strengthen your teeth and their enamel. Such foods also lack dyes and won’t stain your grin.
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Get Touch-ups – Before your whitening results fade, get a follow-up to keep your smile bright.
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
If you’ve been considering whitening your teeth but aren’t sure what it costs, it can be difficult to decide if it’s worth the investment. However, because each treatment is completely customized to each patient, there is no way to quote a ‘one-size-fits-all’ price. That’s why it’s so important to visit your dentist for a consultation first. Until then, here’s some more information about how we’ll determine the cost of teeth whitening in Chelsea once you’ve been seen.
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Factors that Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Although teeth whitening is usually one set price, there are several factors that can affect how many treatments you’ll need until you achieve your desired results, including:
- How severe the stains and discoloration on your teeth are.
- The types of discoloration present, such as whether they are age-related, caused by medication, or due to diet, as well as whether they’re intrinsic (located within the tooth) or extrinsic (located on the enamel’s surface).
- Whether you’ll need any other procedures first, such as a dental crown or filling.
Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?
There are several different types of teeth whitening available to consumers. Typical costs for these treatments can vary. Here’s a closer look at a few popular options:
- In-office teeth whitening typically ranges in cost from $400 to $800, however in some rare cases it may exceed $1,000 based on your individual circumstances.
- Take-home whitening kits with custom-fit trays from a dentist typically cost a few hundred dollars.
- Over-the-counter whitening trays that are not custom fit typically cost $100 or less.
- The most affordable option by far is those whitening strips or gels which are found at most stores and range in price from $20 to $40 a box and contain enough strips to treat teeth for about two weeks.
Inexpensive Teeth Whitening Vs. Professional Teeth Whitening
If you’re only paying attention to the numbers above, you’re probably curious about why professional whitening from your dentist is so popular if it’s more expensive. But it’s important to remember that when it comes to cosmetic dentistry, the quality of your results is clearly reflected in the price you pay. When you use cheaper strips or gels, it can be difficult to see noticeable results, especially when you have more severe discoloration.
Professional treatments from your dentist are designed to lighten the tooth enamel by multiple shades much faster than OTC treatments. For in-office treatment, often in as little as one visit and for professional take-home kits you can often see noticeable changes in about two weeks, although most patients notice a difference right away. Ultimately, when choosing the right tooth whitening option for your smile, it’s important to consider what kind of results you desire and how quickly you want them, not just the price tag.
Options For Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Because teeth whitening is considered a cosmetic procedure, it is almost never covered by traditional dental insurance. However, at Healthy Smiles Dental Care we are happy to provide the following additional options for making your treatment more affordable:
- Our Dental Savings Plan offers valuable discounts on treatments provided here in our office, including cosmetic dentistry.
- We are pleased to welcome payment plans from our preferred third-party lenders, CareCredit and Cherry. These options allow you to break up the cost of your treatment into multiple, low-to-no-interest monthly payments that may be more ideal for your individual budget.
At Healthy Smiles Dental Care, we’re ready to help you get a whiter, brighter smile, so schedule a consultation with us today to learn more about your financial options!
