How Much Does Tooth Bleaching Cost? Which System Is The Best?

You should always take tooth bleaching cost into consideration when choosing between bleaching systems. The tooth bleaching cost issue can, for some, be the most important reason for making the final choice between tooth bleaching products or systems.

Professional tooth whitening is rarely cheap but the expertise and experience that comes with a dentist is worth paying for, if you can afford it. For those who are on tight budgets or wish to have more control over the tooth whitening process, home tooth whitening products are available and in most cases are just as effective.

It's all a matter of tooth whitening cost and flexibility. The following is a review of tooth whitening products, their processes, and the necessary tooth whitening cost for each method.

Professional Laser Tooth Bleaching Treatment This reasonably rapid tooth bleaching treatment is carried out in the dentist's office. Firstly a tooth bleaching gel is put on both upper and lower teeth. Then a laser light is used to enhance the speed with which the tooth bleaching gel actually whitens the teeth. The length of time the treatment takes is dependent on how stained your teeth are. Laser treatment is effective and immediate. The cost for laser tooth whitening depends on where you live but typically comes in at around $1000 or more.

In-Office Tooth Bleaching Treatment

In this tooth bleaching treatment, dentists use the same sort of tooth bleaching gel (generally a mixture with carbamide peroxide as the bleach) as in the Laser treatment. However, the dentist doesn't use any enhancer, like the laser, and therefore the whole procedure takes longer.

While there is no question that solutions like carbamide peroxide work, there is something to be said about the instant whitening effect -- it might not be as significant as you think. Sometimes teeth can become dehydrated during the bleaching process and are temporarily lightened as a natural result. Once they come into contact with saliva again, they become re-hydrated and the lightening effect wears off. This is why some dentists require patients to follow up their in-office treatment with a home-based whitener.

The number of visits to the dentist you require depends on the level of staining of your teeth. It can take up to 6 sessions to obtain the level of tooth bleaching you desire. And at a tooth bleaching cost of $600 or more per session, this tooth bleaching system can become very expensive.

ZOOM And Other Home-Based Tooth Bleaching Trays

Many home tooth bleaching systems use tooth whitening trays. These are filled with a tooth bleaching gel which varies from system to system. The trays are then fitted over the teeth and left for different lengths of time largely dependent on the strength of the tooth bleaching gel. One popular tooth whitening solution made for trays is called ZOOM, so-called because of a patent-pending whitening gel technology that is said to whiten teeth an "average of six shades in three nights." The cost of a dual syringe ZOOM tooth whitening kit is just under $50.00. The zoom tooth whitening cost doesn't include the trays, though; you must be responsible for purchasing or having your own trays made. There are other tooth bleaching kits that come with both tooth bleaching trays and enough tooth bleaching gel to last many sessions. The cost of a tooth bleaching kit varies from $300 to $500.

Dental Bonding And Porcelain Veneers

In dental bonding, the dentist molds a composite resin of chosen whiteness over your teeth, thus changing the color and, possibly, the shape of your teeth. But the ravages of time will discolor and maybe chip the composite resin. It costs from $300 to $600.

Porcelain veneers are like resin molds in that they are molded and bonded onto stained teeth. Veneers can be molded to alter the shape as well as the whiteness of your teeth. It usually takes two trips to the dentist to have veneers fully installed on your teeth. The tooth bleaching cost is high too -- a porcelain veneer averages $700-$1200 per tooth.

Whitening Toothpastes And Tooth Bleaching Strips

Whitening toothpastes help keep teeth clean but there is ample evidence to prove they are not as effective at keeping teeth white. There simply isn't enough time for the whitening chemicals present in tooth whitening toothpastes to remain in contact with teeth to whiten them.

The praises of tooth bleaching strips are sung loud by their manufacturers. But the truth is that they do not do a complete job. The strips fit very well over the flat surfaces of the tooth but miss the indentations, gaps and ridges of the normal tooth. This leads to what is called 'striping', an embarrassing effect caused by bleaching only occurring where the strip actually contacts the tooth. The teeth take on a striped appearance.

The tooth whitening cost for whitening toothpaste can be between $3 and $7. Strips range between $25 and $35 per pack.

That completes our review of the available tooth bleaching systems and their cost. But, remember each of the products has its pros and cons and no one system is the absolute best. Several systems are equally effective but there can be a huge difference in cost. The main choice is between the home-based custom tooth bleaching tray systems and the professional dentist methods. Overall they are as effective as each other. So it is mainly a matter of what your budget can stand. Weigh up the differences in costs and convenience and carefully make your decision.

by Belinda Sinclair