Nothing boosts your confidence and appearance quite like a dazzling white smile. If regular tooth brushing does not yield the results you’re looking for, a tooth whitening procedure may be the next step.
What Does Tooth Whitening Do?
Teeth can become stained or discolored over time due to diet and lifestyle. Tobacco, red wine, coffee and tea can all leave behind stubborn stains. Some types of medication can also lead to tooth discolorment over time.
Professional cleaning techniques and products can help to restore your teeth to their natural color. The application of specific bleaching or whitening agents can take your enamel a step further, producing a dazzling white smile brighter than the natural color of your teeth. When you’re considering a teeth whitening procedure, it’s important to make sure whether a bleaching agent will be used and confirm that this is actually what you want.
A tooth bleaching procedure can be completed at your dentist’s office or at home with the help of a professional or over-the-counter take-home tooth whitening kit.
Costs of Teeth Whitening in Sugar Land
The cost of in-office teeth whitening will vary from one dentist to the next, but you can generally expect the procedure to cost between $450 and $650 for a two or three hour procedure. This procedure combines a specially formulated bleaching gel with short bursts of laser light to maximize the effectiveness of the product.
Over-the-counter teeth whitening products often cost less than $100. These kits require repeated usage, lasting several hours per day for several weeks, and the “one size fits all” whitening trays may not be comfortable for everyone.
An alternative that offers a hybrid between these two options is a professional whitening kit, which is prescribed by a dentist. These use custom-fitted whitening trays and higher strength product. You can ask your dentist about this take-home service, which usually costs about $300 to $400, as an alternative to having the procedure done in the office.
DIY vs Professional Teeth Whitening
While at-home teeth whitening kits promise great results, they often fall short when compared to what you can expect when working with a dental professional. There are several reasons for this:
– Your dentist has years of training, education and experience
– A dentist’s office will have access to more powerful and higher-strength products
– While you’re in the chair for a tooth whitening procedure, we can complete an exam and identify other dental health issues
– The initial cost of over-the-counter treatments may be lower, but insufficient results could lead to costly reapplications
Additionally, some DIY approaches using homemade ingredients can be actively harmful to your tooth enamel. Your oral health is one thing you definitely want to leave to the experts.
Contact Us for Teeth Whitening in Sugar Land
If you want a beautiful smile in the Sugar Land area, contact Dr. Greg Gor today to schedule your appointment for an exam and teeth whitening procedure! We can arrange for a whitening procedure in our office or discuss your options for professional-strength take-home whitening kits.
