Does Going to a Dentist For Tooth Whitening Add Up?

It's all doom and gloom on the economic front. The credit crunch, foreclosures on the increase, rising prices, we are all feeling the pinch. So when it comes to teeth whitening, is the cost of an in office procedure still justified? You still want to look and feel your best, but those visits to the dentist can really put the squeeze on your already tight budget.

What does the dentist do for you that you can't get from a home whitening kit? We first have to establish that the 'appearance zone', your front eight teeth that are the most visible, are sound. If you have damage in this area that might require work like veneers or even crowns, bleaching will be of little benefit. And if you already have this type of work, it will not react to bleaching in the same way as natural tooth enamel.

Assuming that bleaching is an option for you, how does the professional procedure differ from what you would use at home? The dental office procedure will usually consist of two visits. The first of these is to take an impression of your teeth from which a custom tray will be made. Several companies now are providing this service for their home kits, with the trays still being produced by experienced dental technicians.

On the second visit, the tray will be filled with the bleaching agent and applied to your teeth. It may need to be activated using special lighting. This type of lighting is now available at low cost for home use. There are also active agents that do not require this type of activation. The dentist may use more concentrated tooth whitening agents, meaning that the treatment is complete after this second visit, with good results achieved.

Stronger active ingredients could increase the risk of sensitivity. With a home treatment, you can control your progress by wearing the device for shorter periods over whatever period is convenient. This along with using water based whitening gels which keep the teeth hydrated, almost eliminate any risk of discomfort. And a noticeable improvement can still be achieved quite rapidly.

The belief that a professional treatment will give longer lasting results is not born out by the evidence. After millions of treatments over many years, the producers of home whitening kits can point to some impressive statistics on the quality and longevity of their results. Whatever method you choose, periodic follow up treatments will be necessary to maintain your sparkling teeth.

Returning to your dentist will still carry the increased cost factor. He will still be charging a premium for his expertise and is unlikely to offer any concessions on the cost of materials. In contrast, some companies providing home teeth whitening products offer major discounts to their existing customers for their maintenance treatments.

The dentist can offer a complete treatment in two visits but in all other respects, the home tooth whitening option stands up to scrutiny. If you want to maintain your sparkling, confident smile, despite the dire financial circumstances, home whitening is in no way inferior.