Bleaching/Tooth Whitening

“Should I pay $600 for a laser whitening in one appointment, or can I just pick up a $12 whitening kit at my local drug store?”

Dental Bleaching is a multi-million dollar industry, and it is growing rapidly.  The choices can be confusing and overwhelming.  Suffice it to say that you will get different results from an over-the-counter kit than you will from an in-office laser whitening. Nowhere is the adage “You get what you pay for” more appropriate than in the multitude of choices for tooth whitening.

So what really are the differences?

Whitening toothpaste, does it really work?

Be careful with whitening toothpaste.  They can make your teeth sensitive, and often the whitening results are disappointing.  Consult your dentist about brands and information on which is the best choice.

What about the OTC kits?

You will get some results with over-the-counter whitening kits, but again be careful.  You may get side effects you didn’t bargain for.

Take-home whitening kits from your dentist

Again lots of variables.  Some dentists give inexpensive whitening kits as premiums to new patients. Many of these kits are similar to the over-the-counter kits from your drug store.  Some of them are more effective than others. 

The best take-home systems are the ones with custom-fitted trays that you use once a week with a tube of gel.  Your dentist takes an impression of your teeth and makes the trays for you.  He will also supply you with refills for the trays.  If you are committed to using the trays regularly, the long-term results can be as good, or better, than laser whitening.  Expect to pay $200 to $300 for the better systems.

Laser whitening in the dentist’s office

The laser whitening procedures go by various name brand names.  Zoom and Bright Now are a couple of the more familiar names.  Laser whitening is performed in a two to three hour in office procedure.  Often the results are dramatic.  If you have crowns or fillings in your front teeth, your teeth will not whiten.  The laser only works to whiten natural tooth enamel. 

There are a few people whose teeth will not whiten, even with laser.  The reason for failure has to do with the tooth structure and chemistry.  Check with your dentist about his policy for failures.  While the failure is not the dentist's fault, most reputable dentists provide some minimal standard for the outcome.

If you pay full price ($600 to $800) expect to receive take-home maintenance trays.

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