Teeth Whitening – Little Ferry, NJ
Achieve Professional Whitening Results from Home
One of the first things that others notice about you is the quality of your smile. Unfortunately, if your teeth are tinted more yellow or brown than pearly white, you’re less likely to make a good impression.
Fortunately, Dr. Peters can provide everything you need to achieve professional whitening results from home. Our team offers customized take-home kits containing professional-grade supplies for an optimal outcome from the comfort of your living room. Continue reading to learn more about this popular service, and feel free to contact us with any additional questions!
Why Choose Erin Dental for Teeth Whitening?
- Dentist with 15+ Years of Experience
- Trusted Member of the American Dental Association
- Professional-Grade Philips Zoom Whitening Products
Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Before providing you with your customized take-home kit, our team will examine your mouth to ensure no pre-existing issues, like cavities or gum disease, interfere with the results. This also allows Dr. Peters to identify the type of discoloration to suggest appropriate solutions.
For instance, extrinsic stains occur from repeated or prolonged exposure to darkly pigmented foods and drinks, like coffee, tea, wine, and berries. These surface issues typically respond well to topical treatments and can be effectively reduced with professional-grade teeth whiteners. However, if the blemishes originate or have seeped into the lower layer of dentin, you may do better with a different cosmetic procedure, such as porcelain veneers or dental bonding.
How Does Take-Home Teeth Whitening Work?
Many patients wanting lighter smiles have tried over-the-counter products only to be disappointed with the lack of results. Store-bought gels typically contain diluted bleaching agents that are less potent and often come with one-size-fits-all applicator strips or trays. That means there’s plenty of room for error, so you might not see the change you hoped for. To make matters worse, you could develop sensitivity overusing the product, trying to achieve the perfect shade.
Meanwhile, Dr. Peters will provide custom-fitted applicator trays to prevent potential errors. Our kits also include ultra-concentrated Zoom whitening gel designed to mitigate potential discomfort. Most patients see changes within a week or two of starting treatment.
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
Professional teeth whitening usually lasts anywhere from six months to three years. However, there are things you can do to maintain the perfect shade you’ve worked so hard to achieve. You can preserve your sparkling smile by:
- Avoid dark foods. Steer clear of common culprits known to tint enamel and opt for foods that support your grin, instead. Dairy products like cheese and yogurt contain plenty of calcium to strengthen your teeth.
- Touch up as necessary. You may require periodic touch-ups to maintain the appearance of your whitening results, particularly if new stains have developed since your initial application.
- Maintain your routine. You should brush and floss twice daily to remove plaque that gives pigmented particles something to cling to.
Finally, you should schedule a routine visit with our team every six months to ensure that no problems have developed and to polish away any recent surface stains.
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
It’s natural to want to know how much it will cost to brighten your grin, though the total amount depends significantly on your unique circumstances. Before proceeding, you must consult Dr. Peters to ensure you’re a good candidate for this treatment. Then, our team will provide detailed information for your approval.
Continue reading to learn how the rate is determined so you know what to expect, and please don’t hesitate to reach out for more information.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Although teeth whitening usually has predetermined pricing, various factors may affect the number of repetitions needed to achieve the desired results, such as:
- Additional services. Our team will examine your mouth to ensure no pre-existing problems, like cavities or gum disease, interfere with your results. You’ll be responsible for paying for any additional treatments based on our findings.
- The severity of the discoloration. Those with more deeply tinted teeth are likelier to require multiple applications, which increases the total due.
- The types of blemishes present. Extrinsic stains from consuming pigmented foods tend to respond well to topical solutions, but deeper intrinsic discoloration may require repeated treatments.
Types of Teeth Whitening and Their Pricing
Brightening your smile can improve your appearance and boost your confidence, but many patients wonder which is the best method to meet their needs. There are potentially several ways to lighten your enamel, each with their own pricing structures, as outlined in more detail below:
- In-office procedures. Many dentists offer topical treatments in the office for instant results, which often costs anywhere from $400 to $800 or more, depending on your needs.
- Professional take-home kits. Our team in Little Ferry provides everything you need to achieve top-quality results from home, often for a few hundred dollars.
- “Over-the-counter” trays. One-size-fits-all trays can sometimes be purchased for $100 or less.
- Store-bought products. Many stores and pharmacies carry boxes of strips or gels for $20 to $40.
Commercial-Grade vs. Professional Teeth Whitening
Many patients wonder whether it’s worth investing their resources in professional teeth whitening when there are other, less expensive options available. However, when it comes to cosmetic dentistry, the quality of a product is often reflected in its price.
Commercial-grade strips and gels may be cheaper, but they’re also often diluted and less likely to achieve consistent, reliable results. Then, you might inadvertently cause sensitivity by overapplying or misusing the product to compensate.
Meanwhile, Dr. Peters offers professional take-home kits with everything you need to achieve optimal results from the comfort of your living room, like custom-fitted trays for accurate application and ultra-concentrated gels designed to prevent potential sensitivity.
Options for Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Upgrading your grin has additional unseen benefits, like boosting your confidence, which can improve your daily quality of life. Unfortunately, most dental insurance policies consider this treatment a luxury, because it’s intended to enhance your appearance more than boost your oral health, so they don’t cover the cost.
Our team believes that everyone deserves a beautifully bright smile they can feel proud of, regardless of their budget, so we’ve partnered with CareCredit to offer flexible financial plans. If your application is approved, this allows you to divvy your total invoice into more manageable installments.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Does teeth whitening hurt?
Many people have a lot of anxiety about dental care, and cosmetic treatments are no exception. We understand that some might be concerned about whether their teeth whitening procedure will hurt or not, and we will do everything we can to ensure that the process is as pleasant and stress-free as possible. Each teeth whitening treatment from Erin Dental is entirely customized to minimize the risk of discomfort and soft tissue irritation, but please let our team know if your teeth are especially prone to sensitivity during your consultation so we can plan your treatment accordingly. You can also reduce the likelihood of discomfort by avoiding hot beverages after treatment, using desensitizing toothpaste, and waiting a while before receiving a touch-up treatment.
What’s the difference between professional and store-bought teeth whitening?
While professional and store-bought teeth whitening treatments are both designed to lift stains and discoloration, there is a vast difference in quality between them. Over-the-counter whitening kits include one-size-fits-all dental trays and weak bleaching agents, and they often lead to lackluster results or even soft tissue injuries. Professional teeth whitening treatments, on the other hand, are completely customized to ensure that your dental trays fit precisely over your teeth while minimizing the risk of your gums being exposed to the professional-grade whitening agent. You’ll need to have a consultation at our office before receiving treatment so we can evaluate your oral health and take any restorations such as bridges or crowns into consideration when we are planning your procedure. Professional teeth whitening kits can safely and effectively brighten your smile by up to eight shades in about two weeks.
How can I make my teeth whitening results last?
The results of your teeth whitening treatment can last anywhere from several months to several years depending on how well you care for your smile. The most important part of preserving the effects of your treatment is a proper oral hygiene routine that includes brushing and flossing daily and using antibacterial mouthwash regularly. It’s also crucial to see us at our office in Little Ferry every six months so we can address stains in their early stages and clean the hard-to-reach parts of your mouth. Limiting your intake of richly colored foods and beverages can also help prevent new stains, and using a straw when drinking coffee, wine, or other dark beverages can reduce how much your teeth are exposed to them. It’s also a great idea to abstain from bad dental habits like smoking and chewing on non-food items like writing utensils.
Am I a candidate for teeth whitening?
Virtually everyone who is frustrated with stubborn stains and discoloration in their teeth can be a suitable candidate for teeth whitening. The best way to find out if you qualify for this treatment is to schedule a consultation at our office so we can evaluate your oral health and discuss your goals for your smile. If your teeth and gums are healthy, we can begin designing your treatment plan, but oral health concerns like tooth decay and gum disease will need to be addressed with appropriate restorative procedures before we can proceed with the process.