Professional Teeth Whitening

Having your teeth whitened by a cosmetic dentist is big decision. It's not just about the vanity of making your teeth look like those of our favorite celebrity. There are several factors to consider. The first is cost. A ballpark figure for professional teeth whitening is between $400 to $900. You need to consider that brightening your teeth may take more than one treatment. In fact, it may take several procedures to achieve the desired results. And since the cost of the procedure is widely subjective, you will need to consult with several dentists to find the price that is right for you. Some dentists like to follow up the office treatments with at-home treatments and this will add to your cost.

Understand that when the cost for the procedure is lower, that will be because a staff member, rather then the dentist will do the whitening. And dentists who use laser equipment will charge more money on average, then those who simply use a bleach solution. Bleaching solutions generally are made up of peroxide or carbomide peroxide solutions. The big advantage to professional teeth whitening over do-it-yourself methods at home is that you will see immediate results whether you have scheduled more treatments or not. Some dentists recommend at least three treatments, however, again that is a subjective decision that only you can make.

Professional teeth whitening treatments tend to cause the teeth to become desiccated or dry. The bleaching gel contains no moisture, despite looking “wet.” What this means is that the true whitening affect is not immediately seen. A temporary lightening effect is what the patient sees because the teeth are dry and dehydrated from the procedure. When the teeth rehydrate, then the truer, darker tooth color appears. That is why cosmetic dentists sometimes recommend a series of treatments rather than just one. Before agreeing to a series, wait a few days to determine the real color of your teeth before making a commitment.

The delay in the “after” color may also be the rationale for follow up at home treatments recommended by some cosmetic dentists. The short term DIY whitening may help to compensate for the color relapse that some patients see following their office visit. Professional teeth whitening is also routinely performed on the front teeth and not the back teeth. The reason for this is to keep the solutions from coming into contact with the patient's soft tissues, gums, cheeks, and lips. This is a safety concern since the solutions can be harmful to soft tissue.

Sometimes when a person smiles their upper molars show, however these teeth are still not included in a professional whitening procedure. However, an at-home whitening system can provide a way to lighten the back teeth safely so that their color blends better with the front teeth. You will need to consult with your dentist about this at home procedure because even if you perform it yourself, it will raise the cost of the treatments overall. Consult our Barre cosmetic dentistry staff for further information about whitening services.