Teeth Whitening Athens
Wave Goodbye to Stubborn Stains!
Over the years, have your teeth started to look more yellow than white? If so, don’t waste your time and money on store-bought kits that overpromise and underdeliver. Instead, schedule a consultation with us so we can learn more about your unique aesthetic concerns and goals. Then, we can determine which cosmetic dental treatment is best, like in-office teeth whitening. If you are interested in learning more, give a friendly member of our team a call or read on!
Why Choose Athens Dental Associates for Teeth Whitening?
- Top-Rated Dental Office in the Area
- Experienced and Caring Team
- Flexible Financing Available
Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
There are several things we need to consider when determining if someone is a good candidate for teeth whitening, including the health of their gums, the cause of the stains, and how severe they are. With that said, most patients who want a brighter smile can achieve the results they desire with our in-office and take-home teeth whitening treatments. So, if you want your pearly whites to live up to their name again, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation at our Athens dental office!
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
The process begins the same way: with a consultation. However, the actual stain-lifting process will look a little different depending on whether you choose an in-office or take-home whitening treatment. Below, you can find a little more information on each.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
If you want to brighten your teeth from the comfort of your own home, you’ll be happy to hear that we offer Opalescence take-home kits! In this case, we’ll give you everything you need, including detailed instructions on when and how to use the trays. After two weeks of consistent use, you’ll have a noticeably brighter smile!
In-Office Teeth Whitening
While some patients prefer to gradually whiten their teeth from home, others would prefer to get the results they desire in a single visit. If that’s the case for you, then consider in-office teeth whitening! We’ll handle every step of the stain-lifting process for you, including applying the whitener evenly to your teeth, so you can relax comfortably in the treatment chair.
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
There are a few steps we recommend taking to keep your teeth nice and bright, including:
- Eating light-colored foods, like plain yogurt and cottage cheese
- Brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash consistently
- Avoiding dark-colored beverages, like coffee and soda
- Breaking stain-causing habits, like smoking
- Scheduling a dental checkup and cleaning every six months
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
If you’re considering professional teeth whitening, it’s natural to be curious about the cost. However, the truth is that until your smile has been examined in person by one of our dentists, it is impossible to provide an accurate price quote. That’s because there are a variety of factors that will determine your total, and each can vary dramatically by patient. Thus, to learn more about treatment including how much it will cost, please feel free to schedule a consultation with us at your earliest convenience.
In the meantime, feel free to read more below about how we will determine the cost of your treatment once you’ve been seen.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Although teeth whitening is usually one set price, there are several factors that can affect how many treatments you’ll need until you’ve reached your desired results, including:
- How severe your stains and discoloration are.
- The types of discoloration present, such as whether it’s age-related, caused by medication, and whether the stains are extrinsic (located on the tooth’s surface) or intrinsic (located within the tooth’s enamel).
- Whether you’ll need any other procedures first, such as fillings or dental crowns, etc.
Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?
Different types of teeth whitening will range dramatically in cost, but this is for good reason. Certain methods are safer and much more effective than others. Here’s a closer look at your options:
- In-office teeth whitening from your dentist typically ranges in cost from $400 to $800; however, in some rare cases it can exceed $1,000 depending on your circumstances.
- Take-home whitening kits from your dentist include custom-fit trays and whitening solution and generally cost a few hundred dollars.
- Storebought whitening trays that are not custom fit typically cost $100 or less.
- Whitening strips or gels available at most department stores, pharmacies, and supermarkets generally cost around $20 to $40 a box and contain enough product to treat teeth for up to two weeks.
Fast Teeth Whitening VS Inexpensive Teeth Whitening
If you’re only paying attention to the dollar amounts above, you’re probably wondering why professional whitening options from your dentist are so popular when they’re clearly the more expensive choice. However, it’s important to remember that when it comes to cosmetic dentistry, the quality of the treatment is clearly reflected in the amount you pay. Unfortunately, when using cheaper strips or gels, many patients see little to no results, especially with more severe discoloration. Worse yet, it can often take months to get the look you desire, leaving your teeth sensitive and eventually costing more than if you’d just got professional whitening to begin with!
Professional treatment is designed to lighten the tooth enamel by multiple shades much faster than over-the-counter products. For in-office treatment, you can often achieve your goals in as little as one hour-long visit, and for take-home kits you can get the same results in about two weeks. This also has the benefit of limiting your exposure to sensitivity-causing chemicals, so your smile is more comfortable, too.
Ultimately, when choosing the right teeth whitening option for your smile, it’s important to consider not just the price, but the type of results you’re looking for and how fast you want them!
Options For Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Because teeth whitening is considered a cosmetic procedure, most dental insurance plans will not cover this treatment. However, at Athens Dental Associates, we are proud to offer several options for making whitening more affordable, including:
- Smart Savings Membership Club – Our in-house membership plan is ideal for patients who do not have their own dental insurance and would like to save money on routine preventive care. It also provides a 15% discount on treatments like teeth whitening.
- Flexible financing– We are proud to partner with CareCredit and Sunbit to welcome flexible financing plans that can help break up the cost of your treatment into multiple, low-to-no-interest monthly payments that may be better suited to your budget.
- Special Offers: We are pleased to provide frequent special offers on teeth whitening. Please check our page often to see what’s new!
At Athens Dental Associates, we’re ready to help you get the whiter, brighter smile you deserve. To learn more about this treatment including the cost and estimated timeline, visit our website to schedule a consultation.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Why Does My Mouth Need to Be Healthy to Get Teeth Whitening?
For any cosmetic procedure, big or small, you must not have any existing cavities, gum disease, or any other oral issue because treatment can make the problem exponentially worse. In other words, the whitening agent could harm your teeth more or simply not have a long effect if you don’t address an underlying infection. After it is resolved, we can then refocus on your smile’s aesthetic.
Does Teeth Whitening Hurt?
As powerful as the whitening agent is in professional-grade treatment, it shouldn’t hurt at all. If, by chance, you feel a little sensitivity afterward, you can use fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash to give minerals back to the enamel. At our office, you could even ask for fluoride treatment before you leave if you’re worried about sensitivity at home, but largely, this step is unnecessary because the materials we use are safe and effective.
How Long Does Professional Teeth Whitening Last?
It depends on a few factors, but in general, whitening treatment typically needs to be repeated about every two to three years to ensure minimal yellowing over time. The better you take care of your teeth and gums, the better and happier your smile can remain.
What If My Teeth Don’t Respond to the Whitening Agent?
Although most patients qualify for teeth whitening, it may not work for everyone. In fact, those who have the following may not see significant results:
- Take certain medications with teeth discoloration as a side effect.
- Have genetically discolored teeth.
- Have damaged or flawed teeth in other ways.
- Have stains that are much deeper than the enamel, which are called intrinsic discoloration.
Fortunately, Athens Dental Associates has other cosmetic procedures that can hide this imperfection, even if these stipulations apply to you. Direct bonding and veneers are capable of covering yellowed or dull teeth with composite resin or porcelain. During your consultation with us, if we find reason to believe your teeth may not improve in color, we may recommend either of these two treatments for your consideration.
How Close to a Special Event Should I Get My Teeth Whitened?
Do you have a wedding, class reunion, or job interview coming up? Don’t wait until the last minute to get the ball rolling on your appointments. The take-home kits, especially, require two weeks of treatment time, not to mention the weeks you need to wait to receive the trays from the lab. In-office whitening typically is completed in just one one-hour appointment, but you still should get it scheduled at least a few weeks ahead of your special event, just to be safe.