When it comes to whitening your teeth, you have two options - at home teeth whitening or in office teeth whitening.
As you would expect, one is considerably more expensive than the other, but there are also a few other factors you need to take into account when making your decision.
Bleaching agent strength Teeth whitening products which can be purchased over the counter for use at home usually contain a lower strength bleaching agent than what would be found in a dentist's office - 3% hydrogen peroxide.
If you go to a dentist's office to have your teeth professionally whitened, the teeth whitening products which will be used on your teeth will contain hydrogen peroxide in concentrations ranging from 15-40%.
The stronger the bleaching agent is, the more noticeable the results will be.
Mouthpiece trays When you go to the dentist to have your teeth whitened, he will take an impression of your teeth and ensure that a mouthpiece tray is customized to fit your teeth perfectly.
The advantage in this is that the whitening gel, which is applied to the teeth via the mouthpiece tray, will have maximum contact on your teeth.
A custom made mouthpiece tray will also ensure that the whitening gel will not come into contact with gum tissue which could hurt your gums.
Over the counter teeth whitening products also come with a mouthpiece tray, but thanks to the "one size fits all" approach, the fit is usually neither exact nor comfortable.
Badly fitted trays have a habit of irritating the soft tissues of the gums by enabling the bleaching gel to seep onto them.
Speed Typically, over the counter teeth whitening bleaching products need to be applied on a daily basis for a couple of hours a day for up to 4 weeks.
In office bleaching on the other hand provides the most effective and quickest way to whiten teeth.
A dentist will usually use a laser to accelerate the whitening process which means that results can be seen in as little as 30-60 minutes after one treatment.
However, keep in mind that to achieve a significant difference in the color of your teeth, several appointments may be needed.
Costs Over the counter teeth whitening products are so popular because they are cheap.
One of most popular DIY teeth whitening products, Crest 3D Whitestrips, can be bought for as little as $25 for a one year supply.
Teeth whitening bleaching procedures in a dentist's office cost considerably more, with the price ranging from $500-$1000 to whiten all of your teeth, and $200-$500 per arch.
Keep in mind that this figure can vary depending on where you live.
Supervision Whitening your teeth in a dentist's office has several distinct advantages which can't be obtained from whitening your teeth at home.
For one, your dentist will perform an oral examination and will also consider your medical history so he knows how your teeth came to be discolored.
This will help determine if bleaching is an appropriate course of action based on the location of any restorations as well as the number and type of stains you have.
Your dentist will then be able to determine what the best course of action will be to lighten those stains.
On the other hand, when it comes to over the counter bleaching products, you are completely on your own.
As you would expect, one is considerably more expensive than the other, but there are also a few other factors you need to take into account when making your decision.
Bleaching agent strength Teeth whitening products which can be purchased over the counter for use at home usually contain a lower strength bleaching agent than what would be found in a dentist's office - 3% hydrogen peroxide.
If you go to a dentist's office to have your teeth professionally whitened, the teeth whitening products which will be used on your teeth will contain hydrogen peroxide in concentrations ranging from 15-40%.
The stronger the bleaching agent is, the more noticeable the results will be.
Mouthpiece trays When you go to the dentist to have your teeth whitened, he will take an impression of your teeth and ensure that a mouthpiece tray is customized to fit your teeth perfectly.
The advantage in this is that the whitening gel, which is applied to the teeth via the mouthpiece tray, will have maximum contact on your teeth.
A custom made mouthpiece tray will also ensure that the whitening gel will not come into contact with gum tissue which could hurt your gums.
Over the counter teeth whitening products also come with a mouthpiece tray, but thanks to the "one size fits all" approach, the fit is usually neither exact nor comfortable.
Badly fitted trays have a habit of irritating the soft tissues of the gums by enabling the bleaching gel to seep onto them.
Speed Typically, over the counter teeth whitening bleaching products need to be applied on a daily basis for a couple of hours a day for up to 4 weeks.
In office bleaching on the other hand provides the most effective and quickest way to whiten teeth.
A dentist will usually use a laser to accelerate the whitening process which means that results can be seen in as little as 30-60 minutes after one treatment.
However, keep in mind that to achieve a significant difference in the color of your teeth, several appointments may be needed.
Costs Over the counter teeth whitening products are so popular because they are cheap.
One of most popular DIY teeth whitening products, Crest 3D Whitestrips, can be bought for as little as $25 for a one year supply.
Teeth whitening bleaching procedures in a dentist's office cost considerably more, with the price ranging from $500-$1000 to whiten all of your teeth, and $200-$500 per arch.
Keep in mind that this figure can vary depending on where you live.
Supervision Whitening your teeth in a dentist's office has several distinct advantages which can't be obtained from whitening your teeth at home.
For one, your dentist will perform an oral examination and will also consider your medical history so he knows how your teeth came to be discolored.
This will help determine if bleaching is an appropriate course of action based on the location of any restorations as well as the number and type of stains you have.
Your dentist will then be able to determine what the best course of action will be to lighten those stains.
On the other hand, when it comes to over the counter bleaching products, you are completely on your own.