Teeth Whitening Lakewood

Causes of Tooth Discoloration

Your teeth naturally darken over the years because your enamel thins, which causes more of your yellowish dentin to be more visible. Besides age, other factors make your teeth lose their luster, such as poor oral hygiene habits and smoking. The biggest contributor to discoloration is the foods and drinks you consume. Those that are deeply pigmented or acidic will make your teeth darken over time.

At the first sign of discoloration, you likely tried a few over-the-counter products, but you were dissatisfied with the results. They do not contain professional-grade whitening agents, so they only slightly improve surface stains. The only way to get the drastic, lasting results you want is with your cosmetic dentist in Lakewood.

Your Teeth Whitening Options

Now, you can enjoy two effective solutions to brighten your smile – in-office whitening or take-home whitening trays. After an initial consultation, one of our esteemed dentists will discuss your treatment options to help you make the right choice for your smile. You can trust that no matter which one you choose, you’ll be pleased with your results.

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Take-Home Teeth Whitening

Now, you can enjoy in-office results from the comfort of your own home. Our dentists can provide you with custom-fit trays to ensure the even and consistent distribution of the whitening agent. You’ll need to use the whitening gel and trays every day for about 2 weeks. As the days pass, you will see your teeth become whiter with results that last.

In-Office Teeth Whitening

You can get your teeth as much as 10 shades whiter in less than an hour with an in-office treatment. A protective barrier is applied to your lips and gums to reduce the risk of irritation to your soft tissues. The whitening agent is placed on your teeth, and a special light is used to activate the whitening molecules. The light is used for an average of three 15-minute intervals. At the end of your appointment, you will have a dazzling, white smile.

Benefits of Teeth Whitening

Reversing the appearance of stains with professional teeth whitening allows you to enjoy several benefits:

• Safe and effective results.
• Specially formulated whitening agent minimizes tooth sensitivity.
• Teeth become 8 to 10 shades whiter.
• Lasting results.
• Improved confidence.

Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening

One of the first questions many patients have about our professional teeth whitening services is how much they cost. However, the answer can vary from person to person because it depends on your unique circumstances.

Continue reading to learn more about different factors that can affect your total invoice and how our Lakewood office helps make services more affordable!

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Factors That Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening

There are a few things that can potentially affect how much you must pay to achieve the desired results, including:

• The type of discoloration. Extrinsic stains on the enamel caused by consuming darkly colored foods tend to respond better to topical bleach than intrinsic blemishes in the lower layer of dentin, which might require repeated treatments or a different service, such as veneers or dental bonding, which have different price points.
• The severity of the stains. Those with darker teeth are more likely to need multiple applications to meet their smile goals, increasing the cost.
• Other procedures. We’ll need to treat any pre-existing concerns, such as cavities or gum disease, that might otherwise affect the outcome, which must also be paid for.

Types of Teeth Whitening and Common Costs

There are a few different methods of teeth whitening, each associated with different pricing structures, as outlined in more detail below:

• In-office procedures. Our team can potentially brighten your grin by several shades in a single appointment, often for between $400 and $800+.
• Professional take-home kits. We can also send you home with all the supplies you need to achieve ideal results from home, including custom-fitted trays and ultra-concentrated gels, which might cost a few hundred dollars.
• Commercial-grade trays. It’s sometimes possible to purchase one-size-fits-all options for $100 or less.
• Store-bought strips or gels. Different stores and pharmacies carry various whitening strips and gels, typically for about $20 to $40 per box.

Store-Bought vs. Professional Teeth Whitening

You might think you can save money while upgrading your grin by turning to over-the-counter whitening solutions, but that’s not necessarily true. Many commercial-grade options contain diluted bleaches that cause sensitivity or deliver inconsistent results that you might have to then pay to correct.

Meanwhile, our team examines your mouth before proceeding to ensure it’s as healthy as it is beautiful after treatment. We also use professional-grade gels and custom-fitted trays for enhanced accuracy, helping prevent potential discomfort while delivering beautiful outcomes you can rely on.

Options for Making Teeth Whitening Affordable

Our team is in-network with several major dental insurance providers and are also happy to work with out-of-network policies to help you maximize any applicable benefits. However, these plans often exclude cosmetic services intended to improve your appearance more than your dental health, such as teeth whitening.

But we believe that everyone deserves to feel confident in the color of their smile, so we offer additional ways to help make your elected service more affordable. If you’re concerned about the cost, you might benefit from:

• Flexible Financing. We welcome low- to no-interest payment plans through CareCredit, Cherry, Healthcare Finance Direct, and Proceed Finance.
• In-House Savings Plan. We also offer our in-office savings plans that include annual exams, cleanings, fluoride, imaging, and additional discounts on treatments that we provide.

Teeth Whitening FAQs