Teeth Whitening – Carrollton, TX
Make Your Smile Shine Brightly
Here at Epic Family Dentistry of Carrollton, keeping our patients’ smiles healthy is always our top priority. However, we understand that the way your smile looks is important as well, which is why we offer a vast array of cosmetic services. If you’ve been feeling self-conscious about stubborn stains on your teeth, Dr. A has just the solution for you: Zoom! teeth whitening in Carrollton. With both in-office and take-home whitening treatments available, you can brighten your smile by up to eight shades with whichever way is more comfortable for you. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Why Are My Teeth Stained in the First Place?
The vast majority of people will develop stains on their teeth over the course of their lives. As you get older, the white enamel on the outside of your teeth becomes thinner, revealing more of the underlying layer of yellowish dentin. Certain foods and drinks, such as coffee, wine, tea, berries, and richly pigmented sauces, can also contribute to discoloration. Tobacco use, whether you smoke or chew it, is another common reason why teeth become stained.
No matter how your pearly whites lose their luster, our treatments are designed to safely and effectively give your smile a dramatic transformation.
How In-Office Teeth Whitening Works
If you have an important event coming up soon, like a job interview or wedding, and you want to look your best, you may be a candidate for in-office teeth whitening. With this option, we can brighten your smile by six to eight shades in just one appointment that shouldn’t take more than an hour.
After isolating your teeth with a dental dam, we apply a bleaching gel that’s exponentially more potent than any whitening product you can find in stores or online. Once activated by shining a special light on it, this gel permeates the enamel of your teeth to break down even the most deeply set stains. After 15 minutes or so, we wipe off the gel, and the stains come right off with it! We can repeat this process a couple of time until you’re satisfied with the teeth you see smiling back at you in the mirror.
How Take-Home Teeth Whitening Works
For patients who would prefer to brighten their pearly whites from the comfort of their own home, we also offer take-home whitening kits. Your dentist in Carrollton will begin this process by capturing impressions of your teeth, which are then used to create personalized trays. You’ll fill these trays with our powerful bleaching gel and wear them for about 30 minutes a day. While you’re wearing the trays, you’re free to do virtually anything you want at home, whether it’s getting ready for work in the morning or unwinding with your favorite television show in the evening. You may notice a difference after just a day or two, but most patients achieve optimal results after using the trays every day for two weeks.
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
If you’ve never gotten cosmetic dentistry before, the idea of paying for dental care that isn’t going to be covered by dental insurance may be an uncomfortable prospect for you. We strive to make all the care that we offer as affordable as possible for our patients, so if you’re apprehensive about the potential cost of care, we have plenty of tools available to help you budget for the treatment.
We’ll give you a complete cost of care when we meet you, and until then here’s what you should know about the factors that affect the cost of teeth whitening.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Typically, the tooth whitening you’ll receive will be offered at one set price, which means that the primary factor to be concerned about is how many whitening treatments you’ll need in order to get the results that you’re looking for.
This comes down to a few variables, like how severe your discoloration is. The type of discoloration also matters—some are caused by stains that have set in on the surface of your tooth, while others are a result of changes in the color of the tooth itself. The latter is considerably more stubborn, which means that you’re more likely to need multiple rounds of whitening treatment in order to repair it.
Finally, you should probably consider whether you’ll need fillings or crowns to repair any areas of tooth decay, as these will incur an additional cost.
Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?
There are different kinds of teeth whitening, both professional and DIY. As you might imagine, the kinds of whitening kits that you get from your local pharmacy will be cheaper than what you would be given by us, but as a result, are also of considerably lower quality.
We offer both take-home and in-office whitening kits. The former will usually cost a few hundred dollars, while in-office whitening is slightly more expensive, usually in the 400-800 dollar range.
DIY whitening trays, on the other hand, typically top out at around 100 dollars, and whitening strips are even cheaper.
Fast Teeth Whitening VS Inexpensive Teeth Whitening
While their being cheap can make DIY teeth whitening tempting, it’s important to remember that there’s no point in paying anything for a whitening solution that doesn’t actually work. Unfortunately, this is often the case when it comes to store-bought whitening kits.
The whitening solution used in them is generally much weaker than what you’d get from us, which means that you’re unlikely to get decent results, or could cause tooth sensitivity from overuse in the attempt. If you want something that will actually work, you need to come to a professional.
Options For Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Like other cosmetic procedures, teeth whitening isn’t typically covered by dental insurance. As a result, you’re likely going to have to pay for it without its assistance. Thankfully, there are methods available to help you do that.
We frequently work with CareCredit, which is a health and wellness financing firm that operates a little bit like a credit card. You can use it to fund care then pay off the amount over time, often with little-to-no interest.
With options like this, you can afford care that may have been previously out of reach, putting the tools to get a perfect smile into your hands.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Am I a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Although it’s considered a safe and non-invasive procedure, some conditions can interfere with teeth whitening. That’s why it’s important to first have a consultation appointment. Your dentist will examine your mouth for any signs of tooth decay or gum disease first, and work with you to clear it up if they find any areas of concern. Applying teeth whitening over damaged teeth can cause a painful reaction that they’ll want to avoid.
Also, if the stains on your teeth are internal due to genetics, prescription medications, or medical conditions then surface whitening simply won’t be effective. You might need to consider other options like dental bonding or porcelain veneers.
Does Teeth Whitening Hurt?
Many patients worry that this procedure will hurt or damage their teeth. This may stem from stories about over-the-counter bleaching kits, which contain harsher bleaching agents known to wear away enamel and result in tooth sensitivity.
Fortunately, your cosmetic dentist in Carrollton has access to professional-grade ingredients that get better results with less risk of discomfort. You can also prevent any issues by avoiding overly hot or cold foods and beverages immediately after your treatment. Extreme temperatures can trigger a response.
Is Teeth Whitening Permanent?
No, teeth whitening is not permanent. You can generally expect the results to last anywhere from 6 months to 3 years, but it depends on how well you care for your teeth. You can maintain your brighter smile for longer by implementing a consistent dental hygiene routine at home. Twice every day, you should thoroughly brush and floss your teeth to remove any plaque buildup and harmful bacteria that stains can stick to. Avoiding dark foods and drinks will also maintain your smile’s newer, lighter shade. Some common culprits include dark berries, wine, coffee, and tea.
It’s also important to visit your dentist for a standard checkup and cleaning every 6 months to polish away any discoloration that has developed in the meantime.
Does Teeth Whitening Work on Restorations?
If you have dental crowns, dental bridges, or dentures you might wonder whether these can be brightened along with your remaining natural teeth. Because they’re made from materials like porcelain, composite resin, and metal, they don’t respond to the bleaching ingredients the same way. The chemicals in the whitening treatment can weaken the materials or the bond between them and your teeth which can cause complications.
If you want to lighten the color of your dental work, ask your dentist about possibly replacing them with an enhanced version.