Cosmetic Dentist

It’s not easy to keep your teeth white to maintain your perfect smile, even with diligent oral hygiene. Drinks such as coffee and red wine transfer their dark color to our teeth, as does nicotine from tobacco use. The problem can get worse as we get older and our teeth take on a yellowish appearance.

When it comes to whitening your teeth, you have two main choices – go to a shop or go to a dentist. And there’s a big difference between the two in terms of effectiveness. Teeth whitening by a dental professional works more quickly to produce better results than over-the-counter teeth bleaching kits.

Compared with OTC whitening, professional teeth whitening is able to achieve dramatic results because it works on both the enamel and dentin layers of teeth. And the treatment is customized to your individual needs to give you the precise level of brightness you’re looking for, in the areas you want it most.

You have two options if you choose professional teeth whitening – a procedure in the dental chair or custom whitening trays to use at home. An increasing number of people are opting for at-home whitening trays from their dentist because of the advantages over chairside whitening and OTC whitening products.

Benefits of Professional Teeth Whitening Trays Vs OTC Whitening

OTC teeth whitening trays are one-size-fits-all mass-produced products. This less-than-perfect fit can result in the bleaching agent leaking onto and damaging your tongue and gums.

If you get at-home teeth whitening trays from a dentist, they’ll be a precise fit. Your trays will be designed from molds of your teeth and deliver a more powerful bleaching gel than store-bought whitening trays.

Custom-fit teeth whitening trays are endorsed by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) as a safe option.

Avoiding Wasting Your Money

Another problem with over-the-counter whitening trays is that you could be spending money on something that simply won’t work for you – if you have dental crowns or veneers, for instance. This issue won’t arise if you go to a dentist for your whitening trays. They’ll carry out a comprehensive dental exam to make sure whitening treatment will be effective in your case.

Dental Exam

The dental exam before whitening treatment plays a crucial role in ensuring your teeth and gums are healthy. For example, some of your teeth may be discolored due to decay or a defective filling. Your dentist won’t go ahead with teeth whitening unless they’re sure your teeth and gums are healthy. If they find signs of cavities or gum disease, they’ll advise you on procedures to treat these problems first.

Professional Cleaning

You can also get a professional cleaning from your dentist or dental hygienist ahead of whitening treatment.

This could be essential for whitening to achieve optimal results, especially if tartar has built up on your teeth. Tartar – hardened plaque with a yellow appearance – can only be removed by a dental professional, and tartar removal makes whitening more effective.

Expert Advice

When you get your whitening trays, your dentist will give you detailed instructions on exactly how they should be applied to your teeth.

They can also advise you on how to keep your teeth stain-free after treatment, including correct brushing and flossing techniques and which foods and drinks to avoid.

Benefits of Professional Teeth Whitening Trays Vs Chairside Whitening

Whitening trays from your dentist for use at home allow you to whiten your teeth whenever it’s convenient, rather than having to add an extra one-hour dental visit to your busy schedule – and you still get the type of powerful bleaching agent only available in a dental office.

Even professional teeth whitening won’t last forever, and results will diminish faster if you smoke or consume foods or drinks that can stain your teeth. This can mean ongoing appointments overtime to keep your teeth white.

With at-home dentist-supervised whitening, you just need a single, quick appointment for dental impressions to be taken and sent to a lab. After a couple of days, you collect your whitening trays and start your treatment at home at your convenience.

You’ll also get a professional-standard whitening that costs a lot less than in-office whitening treatment, and bleaching agent refills are readily available from your dentist at reasonable prices.

You should start to see results from your whitening trays in about a week, with the full benefits becoming apparent a couple of weeks later, depending on how long you wear the trays. With regular brushing and flossing, your dentist-supervised at-home whitening trays should give you long-lasting results of a year or longer.

Homemade Remedies That May Damage Your Teeth

If you’re considering whitening your teeth at home other than with professionally designed whitening trays, it’s advisable to be cautious about homemade remedies.

While some teeth whitening remedies are harmless, others can damage your teeth, including: • Using a paste made from mixing activated charcoal powder with water. This might irritate your gums if you don’t rinse your mouth very thoroughly. • Brushing your teeth with a paste made from strawberries and baking soda. The acid in the strawberries is bad for tooth enamel. • Rinsing your mouth with apple cider vinegar. This can also erode enamel.

Are Professional Whitening Trays Right for Me?

When considering the costs of teeth whitening, keep in mind that the reason over-the-counter whitening kits are cheaper than professionally supervised at-home whitening is because they contain a lower concentration of dental bleaching agent. Therefore, they’re less effective and it will take much longer before you get results, which will be inferior.

Another point to remember is that your teeth are unique to you, so a universal tray designed to fit everyone may be ill-fitting and uncomfortable for you to wear.

If you want a whiter smile with better results than OTC teeth whitening and more convenience than chairside whitening treatments, Fine Dentistry can help you decide whether custom whitening trays are right for you. If so, our professionally supervised at-home whitening treatment can produce a smile up to eight times brighter. Get in touch to schedule a consultation.