How Much Does it Cost to Get Your Teeth Whitened
When first meeting someone, what is the first thing you notice?
I notice a shiny white smile. A white smile is a confidence booster and gives your smile an extra punch.
How much does it cost to get your teeth whitened?
Having a whiter smile does not need to be out-of-this-world expensive. You can get white teeth by using techniques that will fit your budget. Costs range depending on what you use to whiten your teeth – an at-home-kit, dentist, or one of the new teeth whitening boutiques that are popular.
Teeth Whitening? How Does it Work?
Teeth stains are in the small fissures and cracks in the enamel of your teeth or imbedded in cells and molecules under the paint (dentin). Stains deep in the layer directly underneath your enamel or the dentin are more difficult to whiten. Whitening types of toothpaste can remove some of the exterior stains on your teeth.
However, teeth whitening agents used by professionals are designed to remove the persistent on the enamel stains and the ugly dentin stains causing your teeth to look discolored. Most teeth whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide or an ingredient used as a bleaching agent or antiseptic. The faster and more your teeth whitening depends on the amounts of peroxide in the whitening formula.
The whitening formula penetrates through the enamel of our teeth to get to the discolored molecules inside our teeth. Oxygen molecules from the whitening agents react with the discolored molecules and break the bond that holds the molecules together. What you are left with is brighter, whiter teeth.
You can also use peroxide products bought from your dentist or over the counter. Bleaching (hydrogen peroxide) products are used in higher concentrations in a dental office. Sometimes these hydrogen peroxide products are whitening strips or gels that you paint directly on your teeth.
Products you purchase at your drug store may not work as quickly or as efficiently as whitening products used in the dentist's office or a whitening boutique, but the cost is affordable.
How Much Does it Cost to Get Your Teeth Whitened, and What are the Options?
The Dentist
One of the best ways to get your teeth their whitest and brightest is to take advantage of the teeth whitening services of your dentist. The whitening techniques used by your dentist give you the best results, but they can be quite pricey. Results can be instant, long-lasting, and highly visible when compared to at-home whitening products.
Procedures in the dentist office may require monthly upkeep and frequent applications. Dental applications cost around $650, depending on what your dentist uses for a whitening agent. This price may sound expensive, but when you compare it to facelifts or fillers, whitening your teeth is pretty affordable.
Whitening by your dentist in the office is usually safe, and you can be assured of a fabulous result. You may not be able to use your dental insurance to cover your teeth whitening plan, but most dentists may offer you a payment plan.
Professional Whitening Boutiques
Teeth whitening boutiques offer a sunny smile and immediate results by using all-natural organic plant and mineral blend based whitening agents. FDA approved, and professional lasers are also used to bind the ingredients in the whitening treatments.
These agents are safe for all dental work and FDA approved. At a professional whitening boutique, you will find teeth whitening processes are comfortable, build up your enamel, kill harmful bacteria, and safe. The price usually starts at about $199 with $99 for touch-ups.
Professional Teeth Whitening Kits
A cost-effective solution that is more successful than whitening products bought online or at your drug store is professional teeth whitening kits used at home. Dentists can help you get a custom-made kit to use at home. Kits usually contain customer fitted trays and formulas you can use at home.
Professional teeth whitening kits are dentist-approved. Your dentist takes imprints of the teeth and sends them to a lab to make the correct teeth-whitening trays. The whitening trays are worn for an hour a day for about two weeks.
A journal of the progress of your is an excellent way to manage your teeth whitening. The cost for professional teeth whitening kits is about $200-$400.
Whitening Teeth at Home
At-home teeth whitening kits are very affordable and range from natural remedies to over-the-counter products advertised by major toothpaste companies. Packages can vary from $49-$100 depending on the ingredients in the kits and where you purchase them.
When looking at-home whitening techniques look for:
- Bleaching agents. Professional whitening kits use a strong bleaching agent that contains up to 43% of hydrogen peroxide. At-home kits maybe contain about 10-20% of carbamide peroxide. Carbamide peroxide equals 1-3% hydrogen peroxide.
- A fitted mouthguard tray. You usually wear an at-home whitening tray for about two hours and for about a month. Do be aware that at-home mouthguards do not fit and are a bit uncomfortable.
You can see the initial results in a few days, but it takes about four months to see total teeth whitening.
Strips for Whitening Your Teeth
Do the strips you see advertised work?
Advertising says they do. You wear at-home whitening strips for about 30 minutes to an hour a day every day for two to three weeks. You can wear some strips and drink water while you are wearing them, which is good.
Teeth whitening strips contain about 6% hydrogen peroxide, but they are very affordable and do work with constant use. Strips cost anywhere from $20 to $40 per box or enough strips for a one-time application.
Teeth Pens
With a teeth whitening pen, the whitening gel is directly painted onto your teeth. After you have finished painting your teeth, a guard is placed in your mouth, and you hold the guard for about one to two hours. You can see whitening results within a few days.
If you have teeth that are not uniformly discolored, a teeth whitening pen is a way to go. Do note that saliva can wash off the whitening solutions, and the back teeth are hard to "paint." However, many people prefer the pen to whitening strips.
Pens are an inexpensive way to try and whiten your teeth. The cost ranges from about $10 to $60.
Toothpaste and Rinses for White Teeth
Use whitening toothpaste and mouth rinses in place of your regular toothpaste and rinse. You will need to brush your teeth as usual with the whitening paste and rinse your mouth for at least 60 sends two times a day before teeth brushing. It takes between six to 12 weeks to see results, and the results you see may not be as successful as other methods.
Whitening toothpaste and rinses contain a weak concentration of whitening agents, but the cost is only about $4 to $7.
Natural Whitening Methods
There are home remedies that have been used for years to whiten teeth. Most natural methods are not proven, and some methods can be harmful to your teeth and gums. Check with your dentist before using any of these methods.
Activated charcoal
Activated charcoal has been used since the 1800s. Activated charcoal is oxidized through exposure to high heat. Activated charcoal binds to toxins and odors, and you can brush it away.
Beware that the American Dental Association believes that activated charcoal is harmful to the enamel of your teeth.
Baking Soda
Baking Soda is a natural whitening ingredient and a mild abrasive that helps clean away bacteria. The baking soda method is not scientifically proven, but most kinds of toothpaste contain baking soda and are effective for cleaning away coffee and tea stains. Even if you brush your teeth every day or more, your smile can lose its sparkle.
Good oral hygiene goes far to prevent stains, but coffee, tea, aging, and some foods can contribute to teeth discoloration. You can give yourself a bright and white smile by visiting your dentist for a whitening treatment, or you can purchase an at-home treatment. Also, using whitening toothpaste or mouth rinse is effective, and strips, pens, and trays can be used to whiten your teeth.