Is Professional Teeth Whitening Worth It?

Nothing can keep a person from smiling like a less-than-white smile. If you’re an avid coffee or wine drinker, yellow or discolored teeth come with the territory. Fortunately, the teeth whitening industry offers a slew of over-the-counter kits along with professional whitening options in the dentist’s office. 

At-home kits are convenient; however, they can produce disappointing results. In this post, a Miami Beach, FL dentist discusses the benefits of professional teeth whitening over do-it-yourself products. 

Why Professional Teeth Whitening is Worth It

Your teeth whitening options, basically, boil down to three choices: over-the-counter products, at-home, dentist prescribed products, and in-office treatments. And of course, teeth coloring can vary from person to person. That being so, professional teeth whitening in the dentist’s office is most likely to produce the quality of results you expect. 

Here are a few good reasons why professional whitening is worth it:

Longer Lasting Results

Dentists use treatments that work to break down stains as thoroughly as possible. Each tooth is treated individually with bleaching pastes and some processes even employ LED lighting to help ensure an even whitening effect. As a result, professional teeth whitening results can last as long as a year or longer. 

Immediate Results

At-home treatments work by gradually whitening your teeth, and so multiple treatments are often necessary. And still, the results may not be what you expect. Treatments administered at the dentist’s office can lighten your smile by several shades in just one visit. These fast results can come in handy when you want to attend a special event that’s fast approaching.

Even Whitening

White spots and uneven hues are a common problem for people who use do-it-yourself whitening kits. With professional teeth whitening, the dentist will assess your teeth to identify areas that may whiten at different rates and use different techniques to help ensure the whitening effect is consistent. 

Latest Teeth Whitening Technologies

Many at-home treatments have been around for years, and often employ outdated or ineffective methods for teeth whitening. On the other hand, a dentist has access to the latest teeth whitening technologies, which are based on the latest knowledge about what works best. 

Safe Procedure

Not all over-the-counter teeth whitening kits are created equal, and some can even damage your teeth. Whitening products should only remove stains from the outermost layer of your teeth, which is the enamel. However, some kits may contain harmful ingredients that actually strip your enamel and even harm the inner layers of your teeth. You don’t have to worry about this when you get a professional teeth whitening treatment from a dentist. 

If you have more questions or wish to schedule an appointment to get your teeth whitened, please feel free to call our Miami Beach, FL dentist’s office.