If it seems like you are hearing more and more about teeth whitening, you are probably right. Improvements in cosmetic dentistry have made it easier than ever to whiten and brighten your smile. You might even be thinking about a visit to your dentist so you can enjoy an affordable teeth whitening treatment.
With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about modern teeth whitening:
How It Works
These days, tooth whitening treatments use a peroxide-based bleaching technique that assists with bleaching out staining and discoloration. Remember that the treatments will have no impact on porcelain crowns or composite tooth-colored bondings.
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At-Home Options
Not every dentist near Manahawkin dentist will tell you this, but it’s good information to have: there are at-home whitening treatments available, and some of them are available over the counter. The price can range from extremely low to about equal to an in-office visit. It usually takes much longer to get results, and the results are usually not as dramatic as a professional treatment.
If you are considering at-home whitening, your choices include:
- Strips & Gels – Apply these twice a day for up to two weeks. When you use this cost-effective solution, expect modest results
- Bleaching Trays – A tray not unlike a mouth guard is filled with gel or a solution. This tray is worn in the mouth for several hours a day. Treatment can last up to four weeks. The results can be good, but the cost is generally similar to professional treatments.
- Whitening Toothpastes – You won’t see dramatic results from a whitening toothpaste. At best, they can brighten your teeth by about one shade. By contrast, you can get up to eight shades of brightness from professional treatments. However, one benefit is that whitening toothpastes are easy to incorporate into your life.
In-Office Treatments
A visit to your dental office near Manahawkin is going to end up giving you better whitening results than anything you can do at home, and you’ll get those results much faster. Dentists are able to use much stronger solutions than you can purchase over the counter, and the methods they use with in-office treatments can get results quicker. Some important things to know include:
- Stronger – In-office whitening treatments can be up to 10 times more effective than over the counter treatments!
- Faster – At-home whitening usually takes anywhere from two to four weeks and may result in a few shades of whiteness. In-office treatments usually take less than an hour per session, and only a few sessions are needed for up to eight shades of improvement.
- Better Results – As mentioned, at most at-home treatments can increase your tooth whiteness by a few shades. In-office treatments can get you up to eight shades of improvement.
When you sum it all up, you have many treatment options available to you from your Southern Ocean County dentist. Before deciding on one, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist to be sure the treatment is right for you. Not all mouths are made the same, after all!