The holiday season is in full swing. It’s a special time to spend with family and friends. You want your smile a little whiter to prepare for all the photo ops, but you’re not sure if you want to go to the store and grab a kit or receive professional teeth-whitening services. Which option is better? We’ll explain the differences and you decide.
The Differences
- Ingredients — Professional teeth-whitening agents use more of the active ingredient (usually up to 40 percent) to offer the best results. Store-bought teeth-whitening agents contain small amounts of the active whitening ingredient (usually up to 10%).
- Trays — The trays sold with store-bought kits are one size fits all. The trays can cause uneven whitening and sensitivity in your teeth and gums. We make custom trays to hold the whitening gel. The trays protect your soft tissues and the teeth whiten evenly.
- Quality Control — We determine the proper strength of whitening gel to produce the desired results. Maybe you only want your teeth a couple shades lighter or prefer celebrity-bright teeth. Professional treatments offer options. With store-bought products, you have no control over the shade of your smile.
- Protection — We protect your gums and soft tissue during whitening treatment. Your whitening progress is monitored professionally. Also, we can help you if any pain or sensitivity occurs. When you purchase whitening kits from the store, you use them at your own risk.
- Supervision — We offer a supervised teeth-whitening experience. Before any treatment, you need a dental examination to ensure there are no barriers to teeth-whitening. There is no supervision with store-bought kits.
Also, some teeth may have discoloration that doesn’t respond to whitening agents. We can provide alternative solutions. As dental professionals, we know the cause of the stains and the best method to remove them.
We use Opalescence® Boost for our in-office whitening treatments. A session in our office lasts approximately one hour. Opalescence® PF kits are used for take-home whitening treatments and it may take from two to four weeks to see the final results.
The whitening agent for both options contains ingredients to help reduce sensitivity for a more comfortable experience. We’ll select the best option to achieve your desired results.
Are you ready for a whiter smile? Contact our office to schedule a consultation.
Happy Holidays,
Dr. Radkey and Dr. Rustemier
