Teeth Whitening – Grantsville, UT

Who Is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?

Although anyone wanting to lighten the shade of their enamel can potentially benefit from professional teeth whitening, that doesn’t mean it is the best way to meet everyone’s unique needs. For example, if your teeth have extrinsic stains that resulted from repeated or prolonged exposure to darkly tinted foods and drinks, they are likely to respond well to topical bleach.

However, intrinsic discoloration that begins in or seeps into the lower layer of dentin might not respond as well to this treatment. Our team will discuss your aesthetic goals and examine your current dental condition to determine the cause of your stains and devise a treatment plan based on our findings.

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

Teeth whitening products typically contain bleach that undergoes a chemical oxidation reaction when it interacts with pigmented particles clinging to your enamel. This reduces their size and concentration, which is what lightens your smile.

Our team offers two methods so that you can choose the best option for your unique circumstances, which are outlined in more detail below.

Take-Home Teeth Whitening

Unlike store-bought solutions, which often contain diluted bleaches and one-size-fits-all trays that can result in sensitivity or uneven coloration, our office offers professional-grade supplies to help you achieve quality results from the comfort of your home.

For instance, our kits include ultra-concentrated gels and custom-fitted applicators for more comfortable, accurate outcomes. Many patients start to see the desired changes within just 2 weeks of using the products as directed.

In-Office Teeth Whitening

Those who are seeking more immediate results might do better with an in-office procedure. Our team will apply the whitening gel, then accelerate the bleaching process by applying ultraviolet light to your teeth. This treatment can potentially brighten your enamel by several shades in a single hour-long appointment.

Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile

Most patients can expect their results to last anywhere from 6 months to about 3 years, though their longevity can depend on your unique circumstances. You can usually help maintain the perfect hue by:

• Implementing a routine. Brushing and flossing twice daily removes plaque and residue that darkly colored particles can cling to.
• Choose foods carefully. You can prevent additional discoloration by avoiding common culprits known to stain, such as coffee, tea, berries, tomatoes, and wine.
• Schedule touch-ups as needed. You might need periodic retreatments to preserve the perfect shade.
• Keep up with routine exams. Seeing our team every 6 months for a routine checkup and cleaning allows us to monitor your dental condition and polish away more recent surface stains that might have developed.

Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening

Even if you’re eager to begin the teeth whitening process, it’s still perfectly reasonable to ask how much the treatment will cost before you commit to it. While we can’t provide you with a proper price estimate before we see you at our Grantsville office for your consultation, this brief guide can help you get a better idea of what to expect on your final bill for the treatment. Here’s a quick look at how a few popular teeth whitening methods are priced and why professional treatments are the best way to achieve amazing results, but please feel free to contact our practice if you’d like to know more.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening treatments usually have set prices, but certain factors can make additional procedures necessary to achieve your desired results. The cost of your whitening process can be influenced by factors like:

• The severity of your stains: Excessive dental stains or those located beneath the surface of the enamel may be harder to lift and require additional treatment sessions to completely resolve.
• Preliminary treatments: You will need to be free of oral infections before you can receive teeth whitening safely, and our friendly staff will be happy to address any cavities and gum disease with appropriate restorative treatments. While these procedures will be represented on your bill, they usually qualify for at least partial insurance coverage.

Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?

There are several types of teeth whitening products available, and they come at different price points. The most popular options include:

• In-office teeth whitening: This treatment can lift stubborn stains in about an hour and typically costs between $400 and $800. However, multiple treatment sessions may be necessary in especially severe cases.
• Professional whitening kits: These include customized dental trays and professional-grade whitening gel, and they typically cost several hundred dollars.
• “Over-the-counter” whitening kits: These products usually cost $100 or less.
• Store-bought gels or strips: A two-week supply of these products usually goes for $20 to $40.

Cheap Teeth Whitening vs. Professional Teeth Whitening

While store-bought whitening products may seem tempting when you consider their cost, you have to remember that you can expect to get what you pay for. Many people who use these products find that they achieve only lackluster results even after several months of use, and some develop oral injuries due to user error or defective components. Professional whitening treatments, on the other hand, can consistently deliver significant results in brief timeframes, which can make them sounder investments in your smile and confidence.

Options for Making Teeth Whitening Affordable

Most dental insurance policies do not cover teeth whitening because it is a medically unnecessary elective procedure, but we’ll be happy to help you navigate your plan in case it is an exception. In many cases, a patient’s insurance policy will provide at least some coverage for restorative treatments that may be necessary before whitening can be performed.

We also offer several options that can help make teeth whitening more affordable, including:

• Cherry Financing: Our friends at Cherry may be able to set you up with a flexible financing plan that breaks your bill into easy monthly payments.
• Our in-house membership plan: For $249 a year, you can have your routine oral care covered and receive 20% to 60% off all other services.