Teeth Whitening Midlothian
A Dramatically Brighter Smile from the Comfort of Home
Are you tired of buying store-bought teeth whitening kits that never seem to give you the results the packaging promises? At Long Family Dental of Midlothian, we offer professional take-home teeth whitening that is clinically proven to be safe for your teeth and highly effective. We invite you to learn more below or call our office to pick up your kit today!
Why Choose Long Family Dental for Teeth Whitening?
- Professional-Grade Ingredients That are Clinically Proven
- Achieve a Noticeably Brighter Smile Within 2 Weeks
- Family-Owned & Operated for Over Half a Century
Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
The best candidates for professional teeth whitening in Midlothian are those who desire a brighter smile but don’t have any existing visible restorations or oral health issues. If you do have untreated concerns, such as a cavity, our team will want to address them before we provide you with a teeth whitening kit.
Additionally, dental restorations are made from non-porous materials, so they can’t brighten the same way your natural teeth can. Because of this, it’s not recommended to receive teeth whitening until you’re due to receive a new restoration. Then, we can provide treatment beforehand and match the new shade of your teeth to your replacement restoration.
How Does Take-Home Teeth Whitening Work?
Take-home teeth whitening is simple to use and convenient. Our team will provide you with a kit that includes customized clear trays that are made to perfectly fit over your top and bottom arches of teeth. They’ll also include professional-strength whitening gel formulated to minimize dental sensitivity. You’ll fill your trays with whitening gel and place them in your mouth, wearing them for about 30 minutes each day. Within about two weeks, you’ll achieve your final results and be able to enjoy a noticeably brighter smile.
Tips for Maintaining a Brighter Smile
After you’re finished with your teeth whitening treatment, you can extend the lifespan of your final results by following these helpful tips:
- Avoid eating excessive amounts of staining foods, such as coffee, black tea, tomato-based sauces, red wine, etc.
- Practice good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing your teeth every day and scheduling your routine checkups and cleanings with our dentists in Midlothian.
- Avoid bad dental habits like smoking, biting your fingernails, etc.
- Touch-up your results as necessary with your take-home kit.
If you have any questions or concerns throughout your process, don’t hesitate to call our friendly team!
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
If store-bought teeth whitening products haven’t given you the stunning, noticeable results that you’ve wanted, it’s time to invest in professional take-home teeth whitening. Although it comes at a slightly higher price point than the toothpastes and strips you can buy in-store, the results are noticeable, safe, and fast. Read on to learn more about the cost of teeth whitening in Midlothian and how our team at Long Family Dental can help you with any cost concerns you may have.
Factors That Influence the Cost of Teeth Whitening
When it comes to professional teeth whitening, treatment is typically one set price. However, there are a couple of outlier situations that may change the cost of the service, including:
- The severity of your dental stains and discoloration.
- Whether your staining is intrinsic (on the surface of the enamel) or extrinsic (beneath the enamel).
- Whether you need to replace any existing dental work, such as a crown or filling.
Types of Teeth Whitening & Their Costs
There are several different types of teeth whitening you can choose from, all with different price points:
- Take-Home Whitening from Your Dentist: Ranging from $150 to $500 in price, this method comes with custom-fit whitening trays and concentrated, professional-grade whitening gel.
- Store-Bought Strips & Gels: These products can be purchased at any department store and typically cost between $20 and $40.
- Over-the-Counter Whitening Trays: These differ from professional take-home kits in the fact that the trays are not customized and typically cost between $50 and $100.
An Investment You Won’t Regret
When it comes to choosing the teeth whitening option that’s best for you, you’ll want to consider a range of factors in addition to pricing, including effectiveness, risk of unwanted side-effects, and the impact on your oral health. Dentists only utilize products that have been clinically proven to be effective and safe for your teeth. This means that they often don’t cause heightened dental sensitivity or issues like enamel erosion, like some store-bought products could. As a result, although you may be paying a little more for professional treatment, the results are trusted and safe, which usually makes it worth the higher price tag for most people!
Options for Making Teeth Whitening More Affordable
If you want to invest in teeth whitening but you’re concerned about cost, our friendly staff at Long Family Dental of Midlothian is here to help. In most cases, cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening are not covered by dental insurance. That leaves paying with cash or financing through CareCredit. If you’re uninsured, you can also sign-up for our in-house membership plan through Clerri and receive a 15 percent discount on your treatment!
Teeth Whitening FAQs
How can I make my teeth whitening results last longer?
On average, professional teeth whitening results last between six months to a year, depending on your daily habits and the foods and beverages that you regularly enjoy. Here are some helpful tips to extend the lifespan of your results:
- Maintain a good at-home oral hygiene routine. Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste. Floss at least once a day. Rinse your mouth with antimicrobial mouthrinse once a day.
- Be mindful of the foods and beverages you’re consuming. Some foods and drinks can stain your teeth more than others. A good rule-of-thumb is, if it will stain a white t-shirt, it will stain your teeth! (Think, red wine, tomato-based sauces, balsamic vinegar, etc.)
- Break bad oral habits. Habits like smoking can cause your teeth to dramatically discolor over time.
What’s the difference between professional and store-bought teeth whitening?
While store-bought teeth whitening strips, toothpastes, and whitening trays may be more readily accessible, they don’t provide the guarantee of safety and clinically-proven results that professional treatment does. Professional teeth whitening in Midlothian, such as the one offered by our team at Long Family Dental, is clinically tested and proven to not only be highly effective, but also completely safe for your smile.
With store-bought products, many have not received the ADA Seal of Acceptance, and it’s possible to overuse the products, leading to dental sensitivity. That’s not the case with professional teeth whitening provided by trained cosmetic dentists.
Can I have my teeth whitened if I have a dental crown?
If you have a visible dental restoration, which includes a dental crown or filling, or cosmetic dental bonding, then you should not receive teeth whitening. This is because the materials your restorations are crafted from are not as porous as your natural enamel, which could cause you to have a two-toned smile. Although the teeth whitening gel will brighten your natural enamel, it will not have the same effect on your restoration.
If you want to whiten your smile, wait until it’s time for you to update your restoration so your dentist can match the shade of the material to your already-whitened smile.
Is teeth whitening covered by dental insurance?
Unfortunately, teeth whitening is not covered by dental insurance, which means it will be an out-of-pocket cost. However, our practice offers flexible financing through CareCredit as well as an additional 15% discount on procedures if you’re a member of our in-house membership plan.