All About

Teeth Whitening

Professional Teeth Whitening, Procedures & Costs

Teeth whitening is the cosmetic process of bleaching the teeth troubled by stains or discoloration. In general, whitening can last from six months to three years. Aside from the chosen treatment, the whitening lifespan depends on the person and their dental hygiene, smoking, and consumption of teeth-staining foods and beverages. At Bowtie Dental Studio we offer professional teeth whitening. Our family-owned practice combines highly qualified professionals with top-notch equipment to provide a unique dental service.

Teeth Whitening Cost

Teeth whitening cost varies greatly due to the variety of available treatments. In short, the price is defined by these factors:

 

  • Type of treatment
  • The dentist’s fees
  • Maintenance and following whitening treatment
  • Smile type

 

The main aspect to consider is whether you want a dentist to conduct the procedure or you are willing to do it yourself at home. The cheapest options are retail over-the-counter products, often sold under $100. These include whitening strips, gels, toothpaste, and whitening rinses, and are not very effective either in the short or long term. Another alternative for self-applied treatment is whitening trays prescribed by a dentist. These are custom-made after evaluating your teeth’ discoloration.

 

Lastly, the most expensive option is getting a dentist to do the bleaching for you. The advantage of relying on a teeth whitening dentist is their proficiency as dental professionals. Dentists employ more concentrated bleaching materials in their treatment, ensuring lasting results. Plus, a visit to the dentist is the fastest way of whitening your teeth: while a dentist takes an hour at most to do the job, other solutions like strips require daily appliances for as much as three weeks.

 

Moreover, as whitening is far from permanent, the cost of subsequent treatment should also be considered into the teeth whitening price. Cheaper options don’t last very long and need to be reapplied periodically. The price also depends on your smile type: mаxіllаrу, mandibular, or mаxіllаrу аnd mandibular. Different smiles show different sets of teeth and can limit the treatment to make it cheaper.

Why Did My Teeth Change Color?

Teeth discoloration is, for one thing, natural, but also the result of other factors. Teeth stains manifest as shaders – mostly yellow – or darker spots on the teeth’ enamel, either outside (extrinsic) or inside of them (intrinsic). These stains arose due to food and other substances attached to the teeth that can condition the particular coloration of the stain.

 

Intrinsic discoloration is more problematic and can require other types of dental treatment such as veneers.

The reason why some food and drinks stain the teeth are two compounds present in many of them: tannins and chromogens. These are not necessarily harmful to the body but can help stains attach to the teeth’ enamel. At the same time, acidic foods can also discolorate the teeth and increase their overall sensitivity.

 

In this way, foods that stain the teeth are fruits such as grapes and berries, curry, food dye, and tomato sauce. On the other hand, beverages that can cause stains are coffee, lemonade, tea —black tea in particular—, soda, and red wine. Bowtie Dental Studio professional teeth whitening service can help you to solve the issue.

Among its effects on oral health, smoking or chewing tobacco can stain the teeth. Nicotine and tar make these stains, which are notably visible and common among smokers. In the case of chronic smokers, nicotine stains can turn teeth from yellow to brown. These stains are harder to treat since they are located more deep into the tooth’s layers. As such, teeth whitening performed by a dentist can be the only solution for such stains.

Enamel layers, the outermost layer of a tooth, diminish with aging. As a result, the teeth’ inner layer, known as dentin, is more exposed. Dentin is generally yellow. However, its color is different for every person. Some people have natural white dentin. Moreover, teeth irredeemably become opaque with time, and consequently, darker.

Teeth can also decolorate as a result of being damaged or chipped. This is the case after dental surgery or root canal treatment. Trauma discoloration is not necessarily yellow, but rather grey. This is due to the teeth suffering from inadequate blood flow. However, professional teeth whitening service can still bring you great results in this occasion.

Some medicines may stain the teeth as a side effect. The most problematic are tetracycline and doxycycline for children under 10, which can even harm their teeth’ development. Antipsychotics and high blood pressure medicine can also affect the teeth’ enamel.

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

Whitening bleachers chemically dissolve stains attached to the teeth’ enamel, resulting in a lighter appearance of teeth. The main bleacher components are hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. Independently of the chosen bleaching method, teeth whitening is temporal and only works on natural teeth.

In terms of price and quality, whitening treatments range from self-applied drug store products to professional dentist procedures. What marks the differences between products and treatments is the quality and duration of the whitening, are the best teeth whitening the one made by the hand of a dentist.

These are toothpaste specifically made to remove stains. Most common toothpaste brands have their own and are among the cheapest options for whitening teeth. The most important thing to remember is to avoid toothpaste with irritating components. These can damage your teeth’ enamel and produce the countereffect of decoloring your teeth.

In-office dental Teeth bleaching is the best option in terms of speed, durability, and quality for teeth whitening.

 

Dentists use peroxide gel to whiten the teeth. Peroxide concentration depends on the patient: it goes from 15 to 35 percent. The dentist will start by using a rubber shield to cover the gums and protect them from the irritation bleaching can cause. After applying the bleaching gel, the dentist uses a laser to heat it. The dentist then removes the bleaching product and repeats this process many times for an hour.

At-home kits are a better yet a bit expensive option than over-the-counter kits. Since the dentist evaluates the patients’ teeth, they can prescribe a more effective and concentrated bleacher. Professional at-home whitening kits are custom-made trays. The dentist first makes an impression of your teeth to send to a lab for making the trays. Once the trays are finished, in a second visit the dentist will explain to you how to use the solution.

In terms of price and quality, whitening treatments range from self-applied drug store products to professional dentist procedures. What marks the differences between products and treatments is the quality and duration of the whitening, are the best teeth whitening the one made by the hand of a dentist.

These are toothpaste specifically made to remove stains. Most common toothpaste brands have their own and are among the cheapest options for whitening teeth. The most important thing to remember is to avoid toothpaste with irritating components. These can damage your teeth’ enamel and produce the countereffect of decoloring your teeth.

In-office dental Teeth bleaching is the best option in terms of speed, durability, and quality for teeth whitening.

 

Dentists use peroxide gel to whiten the teeth. Peroxide concentration depends on the patient: it goes from 15 to 35 percent. The dentist will start by using a rubber shield to cover the gums and protect them from the irritation bleaching can cause. After applying the bleaching gel, the dentist uses a laser to heat it. The dentist then removes the bleaching product and repeats this process many times for an hour.

At-home kits are a better yet a bit expensive option than over-the-counter kits. Since the dentist evaluates the patients’ teeth, they can prescribe a more effective and concentrated bleacher. Professional at-home whitening kits are custom-made trays. The dentist first makes an impression of your teeth to send to a lab for making the trays. Once the trays are finished, in a second visit the dentist will explain to you how to use the solution.

Using Home Teeth Whitening Kits

These kits consist of a bleaching solution applied to the teeth by yourself. These kits are easy to use and take from a couple of days to two weeks to show results. At home, before applying the tray you need to brush and floss. You will need to wear the tray an hour per day for two weeks. During that time, and 30 minutes after, you have to avoid smoking, eating, or drinking.

There are many over-the-counter products for teeth bleaching, including paint-on brushes, toothpaste, rinses, chewing gums, whitening strips, and dental floss. While over-the-counter products are popular and accessible, they provide superficial results at most, since they virtually contain no dental bleaching chemicals.

When done properly, teeth whitening has little to no side effects. However, in some cases, teeth whitening can give sensitivity to the teeth and gums. Such sensitivity should disappear in three days at most. In any case, sensitivity can be reduced by making the appliance sessions shorter, taking days off of whitening, or brushing with sensitive toothpaste. Additionally, you can ask your dentist for a medical prescription product to treat sensitivity.