Orlando Teeth Whitening Options: Things to Know

There are a lot of choices out there when it comes to having teeth whitening in Orlando. The media - billboards, advertisements in magazines, TV, etc. - all try to influence you towards one method or another. Which method you choose should be decided by you, with input from your dentist.

Why Involve Your Dentist?

It is a good idea to consult with your dentist before having any teeth whitening done, whether you plan to do it yourself at home or go to a professional Orlando teeth whitening cosmetic dentist, or the "middle ground" of having your dentist do the initial work in his office, then giving you continuing work to do at home on your teeth.

Your dentist can look at your mouth. He or she will know of sensitivities in your teeth from having worked on them previously. He or she knows of restorations you've had done in the past, ones that won't bleach like natural teeth. Your dentist will also be able to see better what kind of staining you have in your mouth, whether it is from antibiotics as a child, like tetracycline, or from things you eat and drink, like coffee, tea, or tobacco. All these factors will help determine which Orlando teeth whitening option is best for you and your mouth.

Which Choices Are There for Teeth Whitening in Orlando?

In Orlando, teeth whitening can be done in many ways, ranging from inexpensive but time consuming to expensive and very fast. They each have a few things in common, though, like the fact that bleached teeth don't stay white forever. Since we all continue to eat and drink and add stains to our teeth, the process will need to be repeated in order to maintain that pearly white smile.

Another similarity is that for all methods, there often is some residual sensitivity in the teeth - eating hot or cold foods isn't as easy as it usually is. This sensitivity is something that most people have, regardless of where in Orlando the teeth whitening is done. Fortunately, it goes away with time.

The differences between methods are more than just in terms of cost and time. If you go to a cosmetic dentist in Orlando for teeth whitening, they can use a laser teeth whitening method. Not only is this method much faster (24 minutes, start to finish) but also it is less likely to end with irritation to other mouth tissues and gums. The dentist puts a protective gel on the surrounding area so that they are unaffected by the chemicals that he puts on the teeth themselves.

On the other hand, your own dentist can create mouth trays that fit your teeth practically perfectly, and that also minimizes the chances of seepage of chemicals that can irritate the mouth. This method is a nice "middle ground." It is less expensive than the cosmetic dentist's laser treatment, but more effective than a home kit.

The do-it-yourself home whitening kit is similar to the dentist's in that it is also a bleaching method, but the chemicals used are in much lower concentration, leading to less whitening. All of these options are available - it is up to you and your dentist to determine which way in Orlando for your teeth whitening would be best for you and your mouth.