The Truth About Professional Teeth Whitening

If whitening kits, pens, toothpastes and over-the-counter strips haven’t worked for you, then you

may be considering if professional teeth whitening is worth the investment. Compared to a

mouthwash you can pick up in the store on your next grocery run, professional teeth whitening

treatment can come at a high cost. But cost isn’t your only factor, right? You can’t forget the

length of time it takes to receive treatment and how long the effects last. We’ll help you take a

closer look at your options. Here’s what you should know about professional teeth whitening in

Cortez, Co.

Is Professional Whitening Worth the Investment?

First, let’s consider the possibilities for professional whitening. Typically, you’ll have two choices:

take-home trays or in-office treatment. Both can vary based on the approach your dentist takes.

• In-Office Treatment: This is the premium option available today. Your dentist will use a

high-concentration whitening agent (hydrogen peroxide gel) to whiten teeth in just one or

two appointments. These visits usually last 60-90 minutes. A stand-out point here is that

a professional will be able to isolate the teeth, avoiding unnecessary contact with the soft

tissues in your mouth. In some cases, your dentist may offer laser teeth whitening as

well. This technique uses a high-intensity light to amplify the effects of the whitening.

• Take-Home Trays: These generally take longer than in-office treatment but come at a

lower price. Your dentist will create a tray that’s custom-fitted to your smile. You’ll also

receive a bleaching agent to insert into the tray before wearing. This whitening gel

comes at a lower concentration than the in-office treatment so you’ll need to wear the

tray for three to five hours. However, as a perk, once you run out you can order more gel

to use at your leisure.

Important Considerations:

• Tooth sensitivity. This is a common side effect of teeth whitening, whether over the

counter or professionally done. However, sensitivity is typically mild and short-lived.

• Gingival irritation. When the bleaching agent comes in contact with your gums, it can

cause discomfort. This is experienced more often when applied incorrectly by take-home

tray users or when applying whitening strips that do not custom fit your smile.

• Professional oversight. Tooth sensitivity and gum irritation can both be minimized

when whitening is properly applied and supervised by a licensed dental professional. If

you’re worried about sensitivity or existing dental health concerns, we recommend

seeking the advice of a professional before performing any teeth whitening on your own.

• Time. There’s no doubt about it, professional whitening treatment, whether in-office or at

home, takes less time before seeing a brighter smile. This is due to the higher

concentration of whitening available by professionals. Plus, this treatment has also

shown longer-lasting effects, so time is always on your side.

• Cost. DIY whitening and in-store options may seem cheaper when you first check out,

but when you consider how frequently you would need to purchase and reapply, your bill

really adds up. What’s more, many of these whitening agents don’t work for everyone

and can’t stand up to greater discoloration, meaning those “cheaper” options are actually

just dollars down the drain.

Our Assessment

It's hard to say what’s best for everyone’s situation but professional teeth whitening continues to

show long-lasting results that are achieved in a shorter time. The initial cost may be high but it’s

hard to beat the high value you get in return.

Learn More About Your Options

If you still have questions, schedule a teeth whitening consultation with our licensed dental team

at Cortez Family Dentistry. We’ll give you a dental health assessment, lay out all your options

and help you determine the best way for you to achieve the bright and attractive smile you’re

looking for!