In our Longmont cosmetic dental office one of the most
popular cosmetic dental treatments is teeth bleaching. As most patients know,
many drugstores and beauty supply stores sell over the counter teeth whitening
treatments so that you can whiten your teeth at home. What many patients don’t
realize, however, is that these at-home applications are quite different in
effectiveness compared to professional in-office whitening treatments. If
you’ve been considering whitening your teeth, read on for information that may
help you decide whether to pursue over the counter or professional bleaching
treatments.
All teeth bleaching treatments rely on the same underlying
science. Both at-home and over the counter applications utilize hydrogen or
carbamide peroxide to actually bleach the dental enamel. Unlike other teeth
whitening methods, like cleaning and scaling, teeth bleaching treatments have
the ability to whiten dental enamel beyond its natural shade of whiteness. Many
patients with significant or stubborn staining just can’t seem to whiten their
teeth with brushing or flossing, but they’ll see results with teeth bleaching.
The major differences between professional and
self-administered teeth bleaching products are the formula of the whitening
agent and the method of application. Professional bleaching products have a
higher concentration of peroxide, which means that they whiten more effectively
and efficiently than over the counter applications. Additionally, professional
bleaching treatments are applied tooth by tooth by a professional dentist.
Consequently, your whitening results are more consistent than at-home results,
where the whitening agent is applied using a pre-formulated strip.
Generally over the counter treatments are:
Less effective than over the counter treatments
Less expensive than professional treatments
Less reliable and controllable than in-office bleaching
Professional bleaching treatments provide the following benefits:
Your dentist can control the level of whiteness achieved during treatment
Most patients see results in only one or two appointments
In-office bleaching can whiten teeth several shades, out-performing at-home treatments
Less likely to irritate sensitive gum tissue, because your dentist can cater your bleaching treatment to fit your needs
A whiter smile can make you look and feel younger, healthier, and more vibrant. Today patients have more options than ever when it comes to whitening their smiles, but the first decision you should make is whether you want to pursue at-home or over the counter treatment. Professional treatments are more effective and faster than self-administered formulas—they are also generally more expensive. If you’d like to discuss your options with our Longmont cosmetic dentist, give us a call at (303) 776-4229.