How Expensive is Teeth Whitening?

The costs of cosmetic procedures are always much higher that we would like. Especially the effective ones that get good results. These days, many people get any little thing they find inadequate altered to increase their confidence and be able to look at themselves in a mirror with a smile. They won’t be smiling when they look at the bill though.

Plastic surgery can cost thousands. Breast augmentations, liposuction, face-lifts, etc. can all run upwards of tens of thousands for a well known and respected surgeon to perform the task. Dental surgery and teeth whitening is slightly less expensive, but for a fast procedure it can still damage your fiscal heart.

Laser teeth whitening is the most expensive procedure of the three primary ways to brighten your smile. There is also a professional, dentist-prescribed method of either strips or trays which cost far less, but take weeks longer to get the same results. And lastly, there are the at-home or over-the-counter methods which can cost virtually nothing compared to the thousands spent on laser treatments.

The laser procedure usually takes only an hour to complete. They begin by cleaning your teeth thoroughly, ridding of any plaque or gunk along the gums or on the enamel. Then they apply a peroxide gel, much like the gel used in the tray or strip methods, along the teeth. This gel is placed under an intense light, or laser, and is activated. Then you wait.

After an hour your teeth will be shades whiter, and your wallet will be thousands emptier. If you can afford it, and want immediate results, this may be the method for you. But if you can’t and don’t, then perhaps you should look into the other methods. The professional trays and strips both contain a level of peroxide which you leave on your teeth for a certain amount of time each day. The strips are worn for thirty minutes twice a day, and the tray is used during the night. Either of these methods are very effective, but they can take from a couple weeks to a month for results.

There are also over-the-counter methods of trays and strips which cost much less, and have a slightly smaller amount of peroxide in them, therefore taking a bit longer for good results. But these methods do work well, especially if money is a factor.

Lastly, there is the method of using toothpaste that contains whitening ingredients. This may take longer, but at least it’s forcing you to brush your teeth, right?