Teeth Whitening – Parker, CO
Brighten Your Smile & Increase Your Confidence
One of the most common questions Rodney L. Allen, DDS hears from his Parker dental patients is, “How can I get my teeth whiter?” If you’re like many of these patients, you’ve likely tried countless over the counter teeth whitening toothpastes, mouthwashes, strips, and gels with little to no improvement in the appearance of your smile. In fact, many patients who try these store bought whiteners end up with dental sensitivity, damaged soft tissue, and other oral health concerns that stem from the use of these products. The key to providing better teeth whitening results is understanding the underlying cause of the dental discoloration. Dr. Allen will work with you one on one to determine why your teeth are stained and help you find the best teeth whitening solution to brighten your smile. Contact us to schedule your cosmetic dentistry consultation today to dicuss teeth whitening in Parker, CO.
Causes of Tooth Discoloration
Before beginning any teeth whitening treatment, it’s essential to understand the cause of your dental discoloration. Some of the most common causes of dental staining include:
- Frequent consumption of dark colored foods and beverages
- Enamel erosion caused by age, poor hygiene, or acidic or sugary food and drinks
- Naturally thinner tooth enamel which reveals the yellow-colored dentin layer
- Fluorosis, white spots on teeth, occurs due to an over consumption of fluoride during dental development
- Tetracycline medications taken during tooth development can cause dark stains on teeth
- Smoking or using chewing tobacco discolors enamel
How At-Home Teeth Whitening Works
Dr. Allen determines your smile will be responsive to whitening with an at-home kit, he will create a custom treatment plan to meet your needs. Each whitening kit will include professional grade whitening gel and a custom crafted set of application trays. For a predetermined amount of time each day, you’ll need to wear these trays with a small amount of whitening gel. The custom applicators will fit snuggly against teeth, so no saliva will have access to the whitening gel and no whitener will leak out. When patients use their whitening kit as directed for about two weeks of daily application, they will achieve a smile between five and ten shades brighter.
Benefits of Professional At-Home Teeth Whitening Kits
At-home teeth whitening kits offer predictable results, brightening smiles up to ten shades over the course of about two weeks of daily application. Unlike in-office teeth whitening that can lead to dental sensitivity, at-home teeth whitening gels are a much lower concentration, and the majority of patients experience very little if any sensitivity.
Professional Teeth Whitening VS Store Bought Products
There are two reasons professional teeth whitening kits work better than store bought whiteners. First, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) highly regulates these products to ensure your safety, so the amount of active hydrogen or carbamide peroxide in the whiteners is minimal. Without a professionally prescribed dosage of whitener, these products have little hope of providing the desired teeth whitening results. Second, the application methods used for these store bought products does not prevent saliva from accessing the active whitening agent. This means most products only remain active lifting stains for less than a minute at a time.
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
If you're embarrassed by stained teeth, you don't have to be rich or famous to reveal a white smile. Many factors affect the cost of teeth whitening, but Dr. Rodney L. Allen strives to keep a radiant smile within everyone's budget. He will identify what's causing your discoloration to create the personalized plan you need to revamp your pearly whites.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
No two mouths are identical, so there's no one-size-fits-all solution for teeth whitening. Several things can influence the cost of the procedure, like:
- Consultation: You'll require an initial consultation to ensure you're a candidate for teeth whitening. Dr. Allen will look for any untreated dental issues, like cavities or gum inflammation. He will also determine if teeth whitening will be effective on your type of staining.
- Preparatory Procedures: It's not uncommon to require a little prep work before having a whitening treatment, like a cleaning and checkup. If you have any untreated dental issues, they must be resolved before any elective procedure, including teeth whitening.
- Severity of Stains: Severe stains can be more difficult to treat, which can affect the cost.
Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?
Dr. Allen offers at-home teeth whitening, which allows you to achieve in-office results from the comfort of your couch. He'll give you customized trays and a professional strength whitening agent to use daily for about 2 weeks. Your teeth will become whiter gradually. Once you finish your treatment, your smile can get up to 8 shades whiter. Your results can last for many months or years with the correct aftercare, like brushing and flossing.
Inexpensive Teeth Whitening vs. Professional Teeth Whitening
Over-the-counter products are convenient, but they aren't effective because they don't contain professional-grade whitening ingredients. Not to mention, not everyone is a candidate for teeth whitening, and not all stains will respond to bleaching agents. Visiting a dentist for teeth whitening takes the risk out of the process and ensures you achieve the results you want. You won't have to waste money on ineffective over-the-counter products anymore.
Options for Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
After creating a personalized estimate, a member of our team will review the fees and discuss your payment options, like:
- Traditional Payments: Our office accepts all traditional payment methods, including cash, personal checks, and credit cards.
- Dental Insurance: It's rare for dental insurance to pay for elective services, like teeth whitening. However, your benefits may cover certain aspects of your treatment, like your initial consultation or any preliminary procedures. We will work on your behalf of your dental insurance to maximize any applicable coverage to lower the amount you will pay.
- Financing:You can pay for teeth whitening using monthly installments through a third-party financing company, like CareCredit. You can benefit from little or no interest in financing based on your credit approval.
- Special Offers: Our office offers regular promotions for various services, which we will discuss at your consultation.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Is Teeth Whitening Safe?
There’s no room for mistakes when it comes to your smile, which is why our office only uses products that are designed specifically for your teeth and gums. If they aren’t approved by the ADA and the FDA or they haven’t undergone rigorous testing, we don’t use them. This is why we can’t recommend certain “whitening solutions” available online and in stores today because we can’t vouch for their efficiency or even their safety. Professional whitening treatments are very safe and administered by an expert like Dr. Allen, including products that are used at home. By using custom trays, we can also ensure the bleaching gel used does not spread to your gums or get accidentally ingested.
Am I a Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Do you find it difficult to show your smile off because of stains or discoloration that won’t come out with brushing or over-the-counter whitening products? If so, you’ll want to call our office to schedule a consultation. During this visit, we can examine your smile more closely and confirm which treatments would best help you achieve your smile goals. We’ll also confirm no dental issues are present during your consultation as we will not perform cosmetic treatment if you have tooth decay or gum disease. Instead, we’ll get you started on a treatment plan for these ailments, then revisit cosmetic procedures once you’ve healed.
How Can I Make My Teeth Whitening Results Last?
It truly depends on a few different factors. For example, if you have a solid at-home oral care routine that includes brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, flossing daily, and using mouthwash, your teeth could stay white for well over a year after treatment. You’ll also need to attend six-month dental checkups and cleanings to prevent stains from appearing on teeth in the first place. For additional longevity, consider reducing the number of dark-colored foods and beverages you consume on a regular basis. Using a straw to redirect richly pigmented substances can also help reduce the risk of stains. If you smoke or use tobacco, consider quitting as well.
Does Teeth Whitening Damage Enamel?
When done properly, teeth whitening does not damage healthy tooth enamel. With that said, the chemicals in bleaching ingredients can cause problems if you have untreated tooth decay or gum disease. This is why we perform an exam before completing any cosmetic treatments period, not just teeth whitening. We advise against at-home remedies that can actively harm teeth, such as activated charcoal or hydrogen peroxide. Overusing store-bought products can also wear down enamel.