There are three main choices when it comes to teeth whitening.
- Teeth Whitening Done in an office
- Professional Take-Home Whitening Kits
- Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Kits
With an in-office Arizona teeth whitening procedure, the benefit is that a substantial color change will be seen quickly. The mouth’s soft tissues are protected with an occlusive device or some type of dental dam. A hydrogen peroxide gel at high concentration is then utilized on the teeth for a brief period. At times a heat lamp is turned on to quicken the process of bleaching.
The average cost for the office whitening around America is $650. While nursing or pregnant or receiving orthodontic treatment, it is best not to have whitening. Maintaining results is not guaranteed indefinitely. Avoiding red wine, coffee, dark colas, and tea in conjunction with a consistent oral hygiene program will help maintain the brilliance and sparkle. The main benefit of the in-office procedure is that it is only one stage with immediate results. No tray has to be put in every night or dealing with an ongoing process when having the procedure done by a dentist in Scottsdale.
Professional kits to take home may provide fantastic long term results from Scottsdale cosmetic dentists. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide is less than what is utilized for the in-office procedures. Due to this, the gel can stay on the teeth longer. The gel goes in bleaching trays that resemble football guards. The cost of these trays is around $100 and helps allow the bleach staying in contact with the teeth better than the one-size-fits all. They also stop bleach from hitting the gums along with the other way around of keeping saliva from mixing and diluting the bleach. The kits overall cost between one to four hundred dollard depending on location and the type of kit.
The most convenient and least expensive option is over the counter teeth whitening. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide is lower than either the custom take home or in-office options. Since these options are “off the shelf”, it could be that only a few teeth actually get bleached instead of all. One of the benefits this whitening shares with the professional kits is that a small amount of bleach can remain for 36 hours in the tooth. This can provide for a cumulative effect if done regularly.
The newest over the counter products are recommending every day use for months, potentially for a year for best results. These may include whitening trays, strips or products to paint on. These range from $20 to $100, which is a lot lower than professional dental kits.
The downside here is that an over the counter variety can cause a bluish hue or uneven results if one over bleaches. The package instructions should be followed exactly.