Within the last 10 years, teeth whitening has provided many different options for in office and at-home dental treatments. Many people are familiar with a number of products on the market for whitening the teeth, which can be used at home or in the dentist’s office.

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To begin with, in office dental teeth whitening treatments will provide great results in a short period of time. Almost 10 years ago, these advanced options were hardly available to the average patient. In the office, the dentist will make a mold of your teeth, send a mold to a lab, and have a fitted mouthpiece returned in 5 to 10 days.  The patient would have to sit in the dental chair for two hours, and the plastic molds would be filled with a low concentration of peroxide to affect the color of the teeth. This process could take up to four visits, and the teeth would look significantly whiter. The entire cost could range anywhere from $500-$1000.

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These treatments available the dental office have definitely advanced over the past years, but nowadays, many of the more popular choices are available at the local grocery store or drugstore. Dentists are now offering better techniques in their office with laser bleaching to provide quick results in a short period of time. Other options available are argon bleaching or power bleaching. These are shorter procedures that will use a laser to activate the peroxide gel on the teeth. The patient would be required to sit in dentist’s office for an hour with a laser energy used to activate the gel in their mouth.  This is very effective for teeth whitening, and it will offer long-term results within one treatment. The patient will still be required to come back for a touch up treatment after six months, so it will cost them even more money.

This solidifies the fact that the best option is products that can be used at home to bleach the teeth.  This will allow the customer to have the best results in teeth bleaching while they are at home, which they can do while watching TV or relaxing. When it comes to over-the-counter products, there are whitening gels, whitening strips, or a whitening paste available. These are similar to products used in the dental office, but it will take longer to see the results because they are sold at a lower concentration.  You will have to use the product for several weeks at a time to see visible results. In the circumstances, you will also need to stop all of the bad habits that cause stains on your teeth.  This includes cutting back on dark beverages and smoking, which will cause stains on the surface of the teeth. Taking this kind of precaution, including practicing good oral hygiene, will make a serious difference in improving the quality of your teeth whitening experience!