Does Bleaching Really Work?

Your smile is an important part of who you are. Your smile is often the first thing that people notice about you and if your teeth are yellow or stained, that could leave a lasting impression on others. Even if you visit your dentist on a regular basis and have your teeth cleaned, it may not be enough to get your teeth truly white. That is when many people begin to consider teeth whitening.

There are products available to you to get your teeth nice and white. But many people wonder if these products really work. The effectiveness depends on what kind of teeth whitening products you use. Just as with anything, some work better than others. There are over the counter products and methods that your dentist can perform on your teeth. These range anywhere from veneers, to composite bonding to implants. Bleaching is another very common and popular method. In fact, many of these methods are very safe and are getting more affordable as the technology advances.

Probably the most common form of teeth whitening is a procedure called bleaching. There are over the counter bleaching kits, but the most effective is the procedure that is done at the dentist office. When your dentist bleaches your teeth, he or she will use a special bleaching gel that is made of either hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. These special gels will break down oxygen molecules that go into the pores of your teeth and break down the stains. In general, yellow and light brown stains are the easiest to remove, as are stains that have been there over a long period of time. The stains that are harder to lighten are those that are dark brown and blue-gray. That is because those stains are deeper in the tooth structure. Often, these are the stains that are caused by taking certain medications for a long period of time, or are caused by damage to the root of the tooth. These can be lightened, however, it cannot be done in one treatment. Often these stains will need several treatments over the course of a few months.

If you have typical stains on your teeth caused by smoking or drinking beverages such as sodas, tea and coffee, the bleaching gels work quite well. Your dentist will fit your teeth with a special tray that contains the bleaching gel. The longer the gel is worn, the faster results can be seen. Some of these bleaching treatments will be done at the dentist office, while some may be purchased from the dentist and taken home to complete. Sometimes results happen in an hour, while some can take up to three weeks. In addition, if you have only one or two teeth that need treatment, you dentist can work with you to treat only the stained teeth. The good news is that with a good bleaching treatment, your results can last for up to three years.

When you consider teeth whitening, you should be aware that the treatments are costly and that insurance will not cover the procedure. You can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $2000 for in office treatments and from $100 to $500 for take home bleaching treatments. Also, you must know that if you have the bleaching treatment done and continue to drink beverages that stain the teeth, the stains will come back over time.