No, professional teeth whitening solutions, though strong and potent, shouldn’t hurt in any way. At-home treatment is applied over about 14 days, which means you reach results gradually. In the office, we will put a thin barrier on the edge of your gums to protect these soft tissues from the bleaching agent. After treatment, if your teeth feel sensitive, which happens infrequently, we may be able to offer a fluoride treatment to reinforce your enamel and reduce your symptoms. However, most of the time, our patients feel and look great after treatment!
Teeth Whitening Fayetteville
Make Your Pearly Whites Shine Brilliantly
Do you have yellow or dull-looking teeth? Your pearly whites may not look as shiny as they once did because of stains. Fortunately, at Sparkling Smiles Fayetteville, we can provide the strong bleaching power necessary to give brilliance back to your smile. If you want to see a substantial difference in your teeth’s color, reach out to our team and schedule your appointment today!
Why Choose Sparkling Smiles Fayetteville for Teeth Whitening?
- Both In-Office and Take-Home Whitening Offered
- Non-Judgmental, Caring Dental Team
- Customized Treatment Approach for Each Patient
Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Most patients who want teeth whitening are able to get this treatment. The only requirement is that you have no cavities, infections, or other oral health issues. As long as your teeth and gums are healthy and only need to improve their whiteness, you should be good to move forward.
We may also ask you about some areas of your lifestyle and well-being because, in some cases, such as if you are taking certain medications, discoloration may not be caused by surface stains. In this situation, even professional whitening may not give you the results you’re looking for, but we can recommend other effective methods for achieving the brilliant smile you’re after.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Regardless of the type of whitening treatment you choose, the essential elements are similar. Even the solutions you can buy at the store have either carbamide or hydrogen peroxide as their active ingredient. However, the professional-grade treatment you get from us is far more concentrated and powerful than what you’ll find on the shelf at the drugstore or online.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
Similar to store-bought solutions, this type of whitening is completed over the course of about two weeks from the comfort and convenience of your own home. However, unlike these cheaper options, our take-home whitening uses custom trays and is more effective at removing up to 8 shades of discoloration.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
If you want to get treatment accomplished in just one hour, our in-office whitening may be the best choice for your smile. This alternative is also great for those who are on a time crunch or need results fast. By the time you leave our office, your smile’s brilliance will have improved significantly!
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
Just as your house needs regular maintenance to look its best, so does your smile. Without proper care, stains will set back in more quickly; on the other hand, making certain decisions in your diet and lifestyle can extend the lifespan of your results.
First, you must brush and floss your teeth every single day and continue coming in for regularly dental checkups and cleanings. These tasks alone can go a long way to keeping your teeth white. For further protection against discoloration, consider limiting dark-colored foods and beverages like coffee, dark sodas, red wine, and tomato sauce. If you do have them, follow them up with water to help rinse away the pigment.
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
These days, before making any purchase, you probably consider the cost, and teeth whitening is no exception. However, compared to more advanced cosmetic treatments like veneers and the like, whitening is one of the least expensive choices, which hopefully goes a long way to put your financial worries to rest. To learn more about how much professional whitening will cost, whether at home or in our office, you’ll need to schedule an appointment.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Unlike buying whitening treatment off the shelf, professional whitening doesn’t necessarily have one set price because there are several factors we consider. For instance, the price may vary depending on which method you choose to brighten your teeth. At-home trays and gel tend to cost less than in-office treatment, but it also requires more time to reach the goal. Also, if your teeth need extra strength whitening power or fluoride treatment after whitening, the cost could increase as well. After we’ve had a chance to examine your teeth, we can take all these factors into account and give you a straightforward price.
Inexpensive Commercial Teeth Whitening vs. Professional Teeth Whitening
We understand the appeal of cheaper alternatives for teeth whitening, but you need to consider what you’re getting for your money. Although commercial strips or trays may be “more affordable,” they promise better results than they are capable of delivering. Professional trays are customized to your unique set of teeth, which not only ensures more even coverage but also guarantees a comfortable fit. Plus, the stronger whitening agent will result in more noticeable changes in color! Considering everything professional teeth whitening has to offer, you’ll find it becomes well worth the extra cost.
Options for Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Unfortunately, most dental insurance policies do not cover cosmetic procedures, including teeth whitening. Despite being a lower-costing treatment, whitening treatment may still be more than what you want to pay all at once. In this scenario, you can apply for low-interest financing and pay for your whitening over a couple of months. At your appointment, we can break down your financial options and come to a solution that works for you and our office.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Typically, teeth whitening needs to be repeated about every two to three years. During that time, stains can slowly return, but it all depends on how well you care for your teeth and how much you expose them to pigmented foods and beverages. When you come for your semi-annual checkups and cleanings, we’ll keep an eye on your coloration and let you know when we recommend a touchup so that you maintain a brilliantly white smile without interruption.
Don’t believe everything you see on the internet. You may view videos of people using unconventional methods of whitening their teeth, like activated charcoal, but these can be dangerous and cause permanent damage to your teeth. Even store-bought whitening toothpastes can harm your smile because the paste contains abrasive materials that may remove enamel along with the surface stains. Ultimately, the safest, surest way to reach the results you want is to work with our team. We’ll set you up for success and brighten your teeth without putting them in harm’s way.
No, teeth whitening treatment will not alter the color of restorations like crowns, veneers, or bridges. In fact, the active ingredient may weaken the bond between your tooth and the restoration, causing other issues. To prevent your crowns or veneers from becoming yellow or dull looking, you need to take care of them just as you do your real teeth through daily brushing and flossing, regular checkups and cleanings, avoiding smoking, and other healthy habits. Are you unhappy with the color of your crown or veneer? We can arrange to get you a new one in the shade you want.
Whitening your teeth before an event like a wedding or reunion is a great way to prepare your smile for photos you’ll want to cherish for a lifetime. We strongly recommend planning ahead and taking care of this treatment with plenty of time to spare. Although in-office whitening is fast, if you leave it to the very last minute, especially if you are a new patient, you could run into scheduling or other issues, causing you unnecessary stress. Don’t worry about whitening too far in advance because your stunning results can remain that way for a while before stains can set back in.
Professional teeth whitening uses powerful bleaching agents, but they are perfectly safe as long as you work with a qualified team like ours. To keep the in-office whitening gel from harming your gums and other soft tissues, we can put a barrier up, so it only touches your teeth. For take-home whitening, as long as you follow our instructions, you should start to see improvement within a few days, but to get the most out of your treatment, continue using the kit as directed for the full two weeks.
One of the challenges with store-bought whitening trays is that they are one-size-fits-all. As a result, it’s difficult to get an even coating of the whitening gel on your teeth. In our take-home kits, however, we provide custom trays that are fabricated specifically for your unique teeth. The solution is distributed perfectly and gets in all the nooks and crannies of your teeth, giving you more even results.
Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) consist of tax-free money provided by your employer that is supposed to be used for medical expenses. Unfortunately, because teeth whitening is elective and cosmetic, your FSA dollars cannot pay for teeth whitening. However, your semi-annual cleanings and checkups, which are essential for maintaining your whitened teeth, are eligible for FSA funds, saving you on keeping your smile healthy and beautifully brilliant.