Teeth whitening this, teeth whitening that… it seems to be a buzzword touted by every company able to find some angle to add it to their products. The truth is that the majority of those products merely aim to remove the surface stains on your teeth. The result is somewhat underwhelming for those who purchase these types of teeth whitening products.
So, What are the Best Types of Teeth Whitening?
If you want to get a bright white smile that whitens your teeth deep below the surface – it is recommended to visit your local cosmetic dentist for a professional whitening treatment. That being said, there are still numerous options out there and this can lead to difficulty making a decision. What’s the difference between all of these types of teeth whitening anyway? Why is one more expensive than the other? Isn’t white teeth, well… white teeth?
We’re here today to rip the doors off the confusion and explain to you clearly what’s on offer and what the difference is between the most popular types of teeth whitening. Specifically, we’ll cover; professional take home teeth whitening, in-chair laser teeth whitening and the premium Enlighten Whitening. Let’s get started!
The Most Popular Option: Professional Take-Home Teeth Whitening
In asurvey cited on Dentistry.co.uk, it was found that 40% of people have undergone cosmetic treatment of some sort – the most popular being teeth whitening, racking in 22% of respondents. The majority of these would have opted for some form of professional take-home teeth whitening. Although, it’s called ‘take-home’, you still visit the dental practice. It’s far from the DIY options you’ll find on the supermarket shelves.
What’s the Process and How Does it Work?
With all teeth whitening treatments, safety comes first. You’ll have an initial check-up at the dentist to ensure you’re dentally fit & that the treatment is safe for you to have – more on this later. Once the formalities are out of the way, we can begin the process of bringing the white back to your smile.
First things first, we need to make special, bespoke whitening trays for your teeth. You’ll jump into the dental chair and our dental professional will carefully create a mould of your teeth. This mould is perfectly accurate and ensures the created trays fit snugly – a pre-requisite to the treatment working effectively without leaving un-whitened sections on your teeth.
If you are asufferer of dental phobia, then you’ll be glad to know that this is all you need to do whilst at the practice – hooray! We’ll take care of your moulds and send them off to a lab. The lab then works with the moulds to create whitening trays perfectly designed for your teeth.
Next, we’ll give you the trays along with a goodie bag full of whitening gels. The whitening gels we use are sourced reliably from White Dental Beauty, and are proven to be both safe and effective. Bare in mind, to ensure your safety, you should ONLY buy your whitening gels from a dental professional. That way you can feel safe in the knowledge that they’re from reliable sources.
We often see that people have tried to buy these gels from alternative places and they do not know what they’re putting in their mouths – this can lead to disastrous results and is certainly not worth the risk.
Now you’re all set to start whitening. This is the part you do ‘at home’. Take out your trays and open up one of your whitening gel syringes. You’ll place a small droplet of whitening gel into each tooth section of the trays (disregarding the teeth further to the back, if you want to, as they won’t really be seen). Now, you’ll wear the trays for a period of of a few hours each day over the course of up to two weeks.
During that time, keep an eye on the whiteness of your teeth and once they reach the desired shade you can stop the process. Some people prefer super white teeth and some just want whiter teeth. The beauty of take-home whitening is that you can monitor your whiteness and choose when you’re happy!
The whiteness can last for 6 months or so, depending on your diet and lifestyle. At this point, we’d recommend you just top up your white smile by using some more gel for one to two days – simple.
How much does it cost?
Professional take-home teeth whitening at your private dentist in Cardiff is priced at £295 and comes with the trays and a set of 8 gels (that will last you a good amount of time). Plus… consultations are currently free (as of June 2019).
Who is it recommended for?
Take-home whitening is the least expensive yet most popular teeth whitening option at our Cardiff whitening clinic. If you want to whiten your teeth whilst spending minimal time at the dental surgery – this is for you. If you want the most cost effect professional whitening treatment – this is for you.
Want to find out more? Take a look at ourTake-Home Teeth Whitening options.
In-Chair Laser Whitening
In chair whitening is a little different than the take-home option. However, you still get your own trays and some gels to continue your whitening whilst at home. This option involves a combination of fancy LED whitening technology and activating gels to speed up the process of whitening your teeth.
What’s the Process and How Does it Work?
With this option you’ll book in for an initial consultation and dental check up as with the Take-Home Whitening. We’ll check that the treatment is suitable and safe for you. If all is on track then we’ll progress with your whitening treatment and get you booked in, ready to roll.
At your appointment you’ll jump into the chair and we’ll go through 4 x 15 minute sessions of whitening your teeth and treating you with our Philips Zoom Laser technology. This will set you on the way to the whiter smile you desire- but you aren’t finished yet. Once complete, we’ll create some whitening trays and hand you some activating gels. You’ll then finish off the whitening over a period of time at home (similar to the take-home whitening option).
How much does it cost?
The price for this one is £395 and this includes your activators and your at-home whitening trays.
Who is it recommended for?
This option is recommended for those that want results fast. It’s a middle-priced option and will give your teeth a whitening boost faster than the regular professional take-home whitening.
Want to find out more? Check out more info onin-chair laser teeth whitening.
Enlighten Whitening
It is the world’s best performing teeth whitening treatment and guarantees a 98% success rate. Enlighten is able to whiten your teeth to Vita shade B1 which is the whitest your teeth are able to get to. It’s a great option if you have sensitive teeth and because it works through the enamel, it doesn’t harm the tooth surface. You can even enjoy your favourite foods throughout the treatment!
What’s the Process and How Does it Work?
After booking in, you’ll meet one of our accredited Enlighten dentists. Here, you’ll have a free consultation to find out if the treatment is right for you. If you choose to go ahead, we’ll get some special moulds created and some whitening trays crafted.
An active ingredient in the mould passes through the dental enamel and breaks down the stains by chemical oxidation. You’ll then wear your trays with Enlighten’s special whitening formula for up to two weeks. Finally you pop back to the dentist for your final treatment which takes 40 minutes. There is then an option to use a special toothpaste to keep your teeth super white!
How much does it cost?
Enlighten Whitening is a premium option and is priced at £595 and comes with a free consultation as usual!
Who is it recommended for?
Enlighten Whitening is recommended for those who want to get their teeth to the whitest possible colour (although you can stop before that point if you choose to!). It’s also recommended for those with very sensitive teeth, as the system comes with special cotton buds soaked in solution that can limit the effects on sensitive teeth.
It really is the cream of the crop when it comes to teeth whitening options.
Want to learn more? Here’s some more info onEnlighten Teeth Whitening.
An Important Note on Teeth Whitening Safety
A note on safety is always in order when discussing teeth whitening. It is only legal for a qualified dental professional to provide a teeth whitening treatment – and that is for good reason. If you are not dentally fit for the treatment then it can be very dangerous. Bleaching solution making its way into your blood stream due to a non-professional overlooking a dental issue can cause a lot of pain. It simply is not worth it.
By booking in to your local dentist for your whitening treatment you can ensure that you have not only been thoroughly examined for safety but also that the whitening gels have been sourced safely.
