Teeth Whitening – Richardson, TX
Quickly Achieving a Whiter and Brighter Smile
If you’re dissatisfied with your smile due to stubborn staining or discoloration, you’re probably wondering if you have any options for addressing the issue—after all, your smile is your source of pride and joy, and no one should have to go through life feeling like they need to hide their pearly whites! Here at Canyon Creek Family Dentistry of Richardson, we can use teeth whitening to eliminate staining and have your teeth looking their absolute best. Keep reading below to learn a little more about teeth whitening or feel free to give us a call to set up a consultation.
Why Choose Canyon Creek Family Dentistry of Richardson for Teeth Whitening?
- Friendly and Experienced Dental Team
- Comfortable Office with Modern Technology
- In-Office and Take-Home Whitening Options
Who Is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
When you come in for a consultation, we’ll be able to determine if your smile can benefit from teeth whitening. We’ll also want to review your medical history to determine if your oral health is suitable for treatment. It’s worth noting that most individuals with decent oral health and noticeably stained teeth are good candidates for teeth whitening, and if there’s an oral health issue that needs to be addressed beforehand, we can come up with a customized treatment plan for you. That said, teeth whitening is often the best option for extrinsic staining or staining that originates on the surface of the teeth. For intrinsic staining, or staining that occurs from within, other treatment options, like veneers, may be a better option.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
We’re happy to walk you through the teeth whitening process so that you understand every detail about the treatment before committing to it! We’re proud to offer both take-home whitening options as well as in-office whitening. Both are relatively simple and quick processes that produce spectacular results!
Take-Home Whitening
If you want to whiten your teeth on your own schedule, professional take-home whitening kits will allow you to do so. These kits include custom-made trays and high-grade bleaching gels that are much more effective than anything you can buy at the store. You’ll have to wear them for a designated amount of time each day for two weeks, but afterwards, your teeth will look noticeably whiter.
In-Office Whitening
Our team can also easily handle your whitening experience in office if you’d prefer. Using Zoom! and Boost whitening solutions, your teeth can be whitened in a single visit and in as little as an hour. First, your teeth are desensitized, and then a special, potent bleaching gel is used to eliminate visible surface stains. You can expect both fast and beautiful results!
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
Once you’ve left our office, it falls on you to maintain your new smile’s beauty! Here are some tips to help you out:
- Limit your exposure to foods and beverages that contain staining agents such as soda, coffee, tea, red wines and sauces, curry, soy sauce, berries, etc.
- Maintain excellent oral hygiene at home by brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash regularly.
- Continue to visit us for routine checkups and cleanings.
- Avoid poor oral habits that can weaken your enamel and cause additional staining such as smoking, biting your fingernails, and using your teeth as tools.
- Touch-up whitening treatments are also available to keep your smile bright in the future!
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
If you’re looking to dip your toe into cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening is often an excellent place to start. It’s an easy way to make a big difference in both how your smile looks to others and how you feel about yourself.
However, if you’ve never paid for cosmetic dentistry before, you might have questions about what it’s likely to cost. Here’s what you should know.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Typically, we offer teeth whitening at one set price depending on the kind of whitening you’re getting from us. That said, there are a few factors that can still contribute to the overall price of treatment. For one, if you have serious discoloration, you may need several rounds of whitening treatment to get a perfectly white smile.
We also won’t typically perform teeth whitening if you’re dealing with oral health problems like tooth decay or gum disease. We’ll be happy to treat these issues if you’re dealing with them, but that will factor into what the procedure costs.
Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?
Besides the above factors, the main thing that determines the cost of whitening treatment is what kind of teeth whitening you go for.
In-office teeth whitening, for example, usually costs anywhere between $400 and $800. In some circumstances, the cost may be as high as $1,000. Professional take-home whitening kits are typically much less expensive, only costing a few hundred dollars.
Then there are DIY whitening kits, the kind you might buy over the counter from your local pharmacy. These are pretty cheap (in every sense of the word). Over-the-counter whitening trays typically come in at less than $100, and you can get a box of whitening strips for around $40. However, it’s worth mentioning that there’s a reason that they cost what they do, and that’ll become obvious when you see the results.
Fast Teeth Whitening VS Inexpensive Teeth Whitening
If you are budget-conscious, you may be tempted to go for the cheaper & more readily available store-bought whitening kits. However, you should know that the whitening kits you get at a store are of much lesser quality than the ones you’ll get from us.
First of all, store-bought whitening solutions won’t be adjusted to fit your smile, which means that you could wind up with a gel much too weak or too strong for your needs. As a result, you’re likely to either not get the results that you’re hoping for or wind up with sensitive teeth trying to chase a professional-level white smile.
Even in the best-case scenario, store-bought whitening kits usually require multiple months to get results. Compare that to professional take-home kits that can be completed in a few weeks, or in-office whitening done in a single appointment.
Options For Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Teeth whitening is considered to be a purely elective procedure by insurance companies, meaning that you’re unlikely to find a dental plan that will be willing to cover any portion of it.
Thankfully, there are other options available to you that can help to make dental care affordable. We partner CareCredit, a health and wellness credit firm, to offer our patients financing services. If you think you may struggle to pay the entirety of your dental fees all at once, CareCredit can allow patients who qualify to split it into monthly payments.
For a limited time, we’re also offering $99 teeth whitening treatments , meaning that the smile you’ve always wanted is more affordable than ever.
We believe that everyone deserves a beautiful smile, so if you’re interested, we’d be happy to walk you through the process of applying for financing options.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Here are responses to frequently asked questions about professional teeth whitening treatment. If you need more information or have other questions, contact us for a consultation.
What Makes Professional Whitening So Much Better Than Store-Bought Whitening?
All whitening products use either carbamide or hydrogen peroxide as their active ingredient. In store-bought products, however, the concentration of this active ingredient is far lower than what you’ll get through our office. To get the professional grade for whitening, it must be prescribed. This ensures a stronger potency and more dramatic results without compromising your teeth or oral health.
Does It Hurt to Get Teeth Whitening?
The treatment process for whitening teeth should not hurt at all. It doesn’t involve removing any tooth structure or any harmful chemicals. The hydrogen peroxide is strong enough to lift surface stains, but it is perfectly safe to use for those who qualify. If you currently have a cavity or an infection, the whitening treatment can have adverse effects, which is why we check your oral health first! In some rare cases, a patient may experience some slight tooth sensitivity, but using a sensitive toothpaste can reduce this symptom.
How Will I Know What to Do with the Take-Home Whitening Kits?
Don’t worry—we won’t leave you to figure it out alone. Before we send the take-home whitening kits with you, we will go over the instructions. That way, you know exactly what steps to follow. We’ll tell you how much gel to put on your whitening trays and how long to leave the solution on for the best results. If you stick to our instructions, you can have a brilliant smile in about two weeks from the comfort of your own home!
How Long Will Teeth Whitening Results Last?
With exposure to staining foods and drinks, your teeth will eventually become discolored again. After about two to three years, you will likely find that your teeth could use another treatment to retain their radiant white color. However, this timeline will depend on how well you care for your teeth after treatment. During your regular checkups and cleanings, we can talk to you about when you might want to consider retreatment.