In-Office Tooth Bleaching Compared With Home Tooth Bleaching

People tend to be as concerned about their health and safety as they are about their personal image when it comes to cosmetic and other treatments. There are various arguments that can be put forward in making a decision between dentist tooth bleaching and home-based tooth bleaching. For instance, why worry about going to the dentist when you can bleach your teeth in your own home? On the other hand, why take a chance with the more complicated home tooth bleaching when you can just lie back and have a professional job done at the dentist's?

Dentist Tooth Bleaching -- Definitions

It's understandable that people do not trust the claims made by some over-the-counter and online tooth bleaching systems to be as effective as the in-office dentists system. Some of these claims have been shown to be, to put it nicely, exaggerated. But many of the in-home systems, particularly those that include custom-made whitening trays, produce a great result at a very reasonable cost.

It's really all a matter of procedure and need. Going to the dentist will provide you with professional care and a faster whitening process, certainly two things that matter when it comes to health care and modern day schedules.

Home tooth whitening, however, allows you to have total control over the application process as well as flexibility when it comes to scheduling the applications.

Let's consider how dentist tooth whitening procedures and home-based whitening systems work, as well as examine the pros and cons of each system.

Dentist Tooth Bleaching -- How It Works Firstly, you need to make an appointment with the dentist to have the treatment in his office. He will start with a careful examination and cleaning of your teeth. He may then fill any cavities. Once the preliminaries are down he will apply a protective gel to your gums before applying his professional tooth bleaching gel to your teeth. He then may use a special light to speed up the process. Some time later he will remove the gels and you'll be free to go.

Dentist Tooth Bleaching -- Pros

The biggest advantage of pursuing dentist tooth whitening is that it's quick and guaranteed to be professionally done. As previously mentioned, these two factors are perhaps the most important considerations for many people. What could be better than to see the immediate effect of a professional tooth bleaching treatment? Plus nothing beats the confidence of a trained and experienced dentist handling your teeth.

Dentist Tooth Bleaching -- Cons

The main disadvantage of going to the dentist is the cost. Most dentist tooth whitening procedures will set you back at least $500-$600 per session and can run into the thousands at some places. Many people simply cannot afford to spend that kind of money on tooth bleaching, no matter how badly they may need it.

Home-Based Tooth Bleaching -- How It Works

There are various home-based tooth bleaching systems in circulation. Products vary from teeth strips to whitening toothpastes to whitening gels and special tooth whitening trays that are fitted onto one's teeth. When it comes to the latter, there are plenty of 'one size fits all' tooth whitening trays in the market but the best ones are really those that are customized. Here's why: customized trays offer a better fit to your own set of teeth, which means the gel for tooth bleaching is applied evenly over all your teeth. Custom trays also prevent leakage of the gel, which may harm your gums and of course cause wastage of the gel.

Home-Based Tooth Bleaching -- Pros

A home-based tooth bleaching system is less expensive than dentist tooth bleaching. You can save hundreds of dollars by opting to whiten your teeth yourself. You are also free to employ the tooth whitening kit according to your own schedule.

This is good if you are a very busy person and have little time to spare for an afternoon at your dentist.

Home-Based Tooth Bleaching -- Cons

You must be competent and able to carefully follow instructions. You must also be dedicated to the task. Home teeth whitening is an extended process that can last beyond two weeks compared to dentist tooth whitening which can amount to a single visit. If you are not committed or unable to sustain a proper schedule, the process will not be as effective or may not work at all.

Finally:

The fact is: there is no 'best' tooth bleaching system. Both the home-based system and the dentist's system have their pros and cons. Because of the lower concentration of carbamide peroxide in their tooth bleaching gel, home-based systems take longer to reach a similar result to the dentist's system. But that doesn't mean they are not as good, just that they take longer. But don't forget, that extra time is spent at your convenience and at home. In all, both systems are as effective as each other. It depends which is more important in your life -- time or money. Basically it is up to you to make that choice.

by Belinda Sinclair