Teeth Whitening
overview
Dental Excellence in a Down-to-Earth Atmosphere
Wish your teeth were whiter? About 80% of Americans feel the same! The good news is that dental discoloration from dark-colored foods and beverages can easily be addressed with teeth whitening in Plano, TX. In fact, our team loves to help patients remove stubborn stains and reveal white teeth! If you’d like to learn more about this popular cosmetic dental treatment, schedule an appointment with our team or keep reading!
Why Choose River Bend Dental For Plano?
- HIGHLY-TRAINED AND TALENTED DENTIST
- VIRTUAL SMILE DESIGN FOR MODERN TREATMENT PLANNING
- EARLY MORNING, LUNCHTIME, AND AFTERNOON HOURS
Who Is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Think your teeth look a bit yellow? Longing for a whiter smile? Good news: you may be a candidate for teeth whitening! Ultimately, the best way to find out is by scheduling an appointment with our talented Plano cosmetic dentist, Dr. Bonds. During your visit, he will ask you a few questions to learn more about your unique smile goals. He’ll also conduct a dental exam to screen for tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues. Don’t worry – even if he does find something, he can simply work the appropriate restorative care into your treatment plan.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
With a customized treatment plan, our cosmetic dentist will work with you to blast away stubborn stains and reveal a bright, white smile. The exact process varies slightly depending on the type of treatment you choose. At River Bend Dental, we’re proud to offer:
Our take-home teeth whitening kits offer the same convenience as store-bought options, but there is one important difference: effectiveness. With our dental team overseeing your treatment, you’ll be able to achieve a noticeably whiter smile over the course of two weeks.
In-office treatments, on the other hand, are considerably quicker. In fact, we can brighten your smile in less than an hour! So, it’s a great treatment option for patients who have a big event coming up, like a wedding or job interview.
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
After investing your time and money into whitening your teeth, the last thing you want is for stubborn stains to quickly resurface. The good news is that your results can last for several months with the right best practices in place, including:
- Brushing for two full minutes after each meal
- Flossing daily
- Getting a dental cleaning every six months
- Quitting unhealthy dental habits, like smoking
- Using a straw when drinking dark-colored beverages, like soda and wine
- Keeping your consumption of added sugar to a minimum
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Are you ready to brighten your pearly whites? While you can be sure to enjoy plenty of benefits after undergoing teeth whitening treatment, you’ll want to know how much the procedure will cost beforehand. After all, the last thing you want is to feel like you’re breaking the bank to improve your smile. Every patient’s case is different, so it’s difficult to provide an exact price estimate without first examining your oral health. Once our team has had a chance to check your smile, we’ll be able to determine the ideal solutions for you and walk you through your financing options so you know what to expect. Read along to learn more about the cost of teeth whitening in Plano.
The only way to determine the overall price of teeth whitening is to undergo an initial consultation and examination. That said, several factors can impact how much you’ll pay as well as the number of treatments you’ll require to accomplish your smile goals. Here are some components that will be considered:
- The complexity of your tooth discoloration or staining
- The kind of discoloration (such as extrinsic vs. intrinsic staining)
- Any preliminary treatments that are necessary (like fillings or gum disease therapy)
While you might be tempted to simply purchase a teeth whitening product from your local store, it’s important to consider the different kinds of treatments and their unique costs. Here are the price points you can expect from each method:
- In-office treatment – This quick procedure usually ranges between $400 and $800. In rare circumstances, the price can go as far as $1,000 or more.
- Professional take-home whitening kit – These custom-designed trays typically cost several hundred dollars.
- Over-the-counter whitening products – Items like teeth whitening strips and gels are the most affordable, each box costing around $20 or $40. Store-bought trays tend to cost $100 or less.
Since you may be wanting to save money, you might wonder why you should opt for professional teeth whitening when it comes at a higher upfront cost. The important thing to remember, however, is that the quality of your procedure will generally be reflected by the price you pay. For instance, those who use store-bought whitening strips and gels tend to achieve lackluster results. They may even require multiple applications over several months to accomplish their smile goals, which will raise the overall cost.
On the other hand, professional teeth whitening treatment in Plano is custom designed to brighten your specific pearly whites in a much more timely manner. You can either improve the shade of your teeth over a couple of weeks or undergo an in-office procedure that’ll lighten your smile in as little as an hour! Overall, you’ll want to consider the effectiveness and longevity of your chosen treatment, that way you can save yourself time, money, and headaches in the future.
Since teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment, it will likely not be covered by most dental insurance providers. This doesn’t mean you’ll be left entirely on your own. Our team understands the importance of having a smile you can be proud of, so we offer alternative financing options that can help you. We are partnered with CareCredit—a third-party financier that can split up the cost of your treatments into monthly installments. Many of these plans also come with little to no interest! This means you’ll be able to achieve your newly brightened smile without worrying about emptying your wallet.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
If you’re interested in learning more about teeth whitening in Plano, you’ll be happy to hear that you’re in the right place! While our team will happily answer any questions you have during your consultation, we also realize that some patients prefer to conduct thorough research online first. If that’s the case for you, then keep reading for the answers to a few commonly asked questions from patients.
Over the years, teeth whitening has become associated with tooth sensitivity. However, this is largely the result of the products not being used correctly, like keeping the strips on all night instead of 30 minutes. The good news is that professional teeth whitening treatments that are overseen by a licensed dental professional are significantly less likely to result in irritation. In fact, our Plano cosmetic dentist will do everything he can to prevent sensitivity following your treatment.
Since store-bought teeth whitening kits are often marketed as reliable, effective, and cheap, many patients are naturally curious why professional treatments are better. Well, there are a few reasons. To begin, treatments with your dentist start with a dental exam, which ensures there isn’t any tooth decay present. Secondly, store-bought kits fail to take into account the cause of the discoloration. Lastly, whether you choose in-office or take-home teeth whitening, it will be completely personalized to your specific smile goals. In short, professional treatments are reliable, effective, safe, and a better investment of your time and money.
How long it takes to achieve your smile goals depends on a few things. The first is whether you pick an in-office or take-home treatment. If you go the in-office routine, then our talented team can lighten your teeth up to eight shades in a single visit. If you prefer the take-home option, then it may take a week or two to achieve the results you desire. Of course, the severity of your discoloration will also need to be taken into account. Depending on the current color of your teeth and what your “goal” is, it might take several appointments.
Since teeth whitening isn’t “medically necessary,” it’s rarely covered by dental insurance. With that being said, benefits vary from patient to patient – so don’t hesitate to ask your provider! If you don’t have any coverage, then we can discuss your other financial options during your consultation, like flexible financing. Our team is proud to work with CareCredit, a third-party financier that allows you to space-out your treatment into manageable monthly chunks. That way, you can pursue your smile goals without breaking the bank.
