Teeth whitening is a common cosmetic dental procedure and one that can easily be done from the comfort of your own home. There are several methods of teeth whitening available, ranging from whitening strips to gels and whitening pens. Beyond these choices, there is also the option of professional laser teeth whitening.
What is Laser Teeth Whitening?
What is laser teeth whitening, and what should you expect? Unlike several other DIY teeth whitening methods, laser teeth whitening is always completed in a dental professional’s office. The first step in the procedure involves the application of a peroxide-based gel. After the whitening gel is applied to the teeth, heat is applied to it through a laser, and this activates the gel and allows it to get started on breaking down the stains on the teeth. The entire treatment typically takes about one hour, after which the stains on the teeth have been broken down, and the teeth are whiter and brighter.
What’s the Average Cost of Laser Teeth Whitening?
Like any procedure that you would get done at a dentist’s office, laser teeth whitening cost will certainly vary from practice to practice. But overall, the average cost of professional teeth whitening ranges from $500 to over $1,000, with an estimate for the average cost falling somewhere around $750.
Is Laser Teeth Whitening Safe?
Now that you have a better sense of the answer to the question “how much is laser teeth whitening?” how about the safety of the treatment? Generally speaking, teeth whitening is a safe procedure. Proper care must be taken while applying the whitening gel to ensure that it doesn’t get onto the gums or other soft tissue within the mouth, as this can cause irritation. Furthermore, there is the potential for laser teeth whitening to cause some degree of tooth sensitivity. But these things usually both resolve over time and are typically short-lived. However, if you don’t want to take the risk, you can opt to purchasing the best teeth whitening for sensitive teeth instead of going for laser teeth whitening.
Pros and cons of laser teeth whitening
Below is a quick review of the pros and cons of laser teeth whitening.
- Professional supervision: One of the top benefits of laser teeth whitening is definitely that it is completed by a dental professional. Since other types of whitening treatments are often done at home, the professional supervision provided by laser whitening can give the client more confidence in getting the results that they are looking for.
- Reliable results: As alluded to in the previous point, the results of laser teeth whitening are quite reliable. Since it is done by a professional who has done the procedure many times before, you can know that the results will be consistent and reliable than even the best teeth whitening products
- Expensive: A clear con for laser teeth whitening is the high price point. Since there are many options for teeth whitening available over the counter at a far more affordable price, the cost of professional laser teeth whitening can be a difficult point for many people to overlook.
- Potential for irritation of the teeth and gums: Laser teeth whitening does run the risk of causing some irritation of the teeth and gums, but so do other forms of teeth whitening treatments.
What to Expect During a Laser Teeth Whitening Treatment
So what should you anticipate during a laser teeth whitening treatment? As touched on earlier, the treatment typically takes about an hour from start to finish. It starts out with the application of a gel to the teeth, and then the teeth whitening laser activates this gel to allow it to start whitening the teeth.
How effective is laser teeth whitening?
Laser teeth whitening, like zoom teeth whitening, is an effective treatment, and can yield great and reliable results. Since it is a procedure done in a dental office, the supervision of professionals allows the whitening treatment to reach its maximum potential.
Laser Teeth Whitening: Before and After Results
Most people who have a laser teeth whitening treatment done are satisfied with the results of the treatment. To get a sense of what to expect from your laser teeth whitening treatment, check out the website for the practice you will be going to and see if they have any before and after photos posted from past clients.
Laser teeth whitening aftercare
Once the laser teeth whitening procedure is complete, there are still steps to take to preserve the results of your treatment as much as possible. Especially for the first 48 hours following the completion of the treatment, you should make sure to avoid foods and drinks that have the potential to stain your newly whitened teeth. These include things like coffee, teas, red wine, and berries. In addition to these, you should also avoid acidic foods when your teeth are freshly whitened.
FAQ
Yes, laser teeth whitening does have the potential to cause some irritation of the soft tissues of the mouth and sensitivity of the teeth.
Apart from the side effects of sensitivity and irritation, laser teeth whitening should not be painful.
Laser teeth whitening is permanent in the sense that the whitening itself cannot be reversed. But new stains can absolutely still appear, and just because you underwent laser teeth whitening does not mean that your teeth will remain that shade forever. To maintain the new white color of your teeth, you need to pay attention to what you are eating and drinking, as well as basic oral hygiene.
After teeth whitening, the question becomes more of what you cannot eat, at least for the first couple of days. During that period, you should do your best to avoid consuming foods that are acidic or have the potential to stain your teeth.
No, laser teeth whitening is intended only on natural teeth and does not work on crowns. If you want to whiten a crown, it would be in your best interest to investigate other forms of teeth whitening.
If done correctly, laser teeth whitening should not damage your enamel. Overall, it is a safe procedure and shouldn’t be an issue, especially considering that it is done with professional supervision.
