Professional Teeth Whitening vs Home Kits: What’s the Difference?
How do home kits compare to the professional teeth whitening you get from your dentist’s office? Aside from the significant cost difference, you might be curious to know if it is worth spending that extra money on professional treatments. It is also important to know if it is worth saving a few bucks by opting for at-home treatment kits without compromising on your oral health.
This guide is designed to break down the pros and cons of each teeth whitening treatment option. By knowing about these options, you can decide what to go for based on your desired results and your budget. If you are looking to get rid of brown stains on teeth with a proven teeth whitening kit, click here for more information.
Professional Teeth Whitening vs Home Kits
A professional teeth whitening treatment such as those done in your dentist’s office used to be the standard in the industry. This in-office teeth whitening treatment is performed by a trained dental professional. As a result, many opt for this procedure to ensure their safety and the effectiveness of the results.
Over the years, though, the technology that was once available only to dental professionals have become available in-home kits. In fact, many of the at-home teeth whitening kits in the market were developed by dental professionals. The goal is to provide the results of professional teeth whitening at home with an easy-to-use system. Some of these kits can be used for a few minutes each day in order to see results in a few weeks.
The at-home kits available in the market vary in terms of the types of products available and the methods of application. At-home teeth whitening kits can come in the form of teeth whitening strips, whitening pens, whitening trays, and toothpaste, among others.
The goal is to use each of those products within the recommended time frame per day in order to see substantial results within a few weeks’ time. This also gives you the convenience to choose the method of application that best suits your lifestyle and what you find most convenient.
How to Use
With professional teeth whitening, a dental professional will be the one to administer the bleaching product to your teeth using modern devices. Dentists use a higher concentration of bleaching gels to achieve whitening results almost instantly.
The mode of application and the specific product they use will have an impact on the cost of the procedure. The entire process takes an hour to several hours to give time for the bleaching gel to act on your teeth. The dentist will also use modern devices such as high-intensity light to speed up the whitening process.
At-home kits, on the other hand, will provide you with the complete set of tools you need to do your own whitening at home. This includes bleaching gel, applicators (such as an LED mouthpiece, wands, or whitening pens), and a few other accessories. They are designed to be used for a few minutes each day over the recommended treatment period with results becoming apparent in a few weeks.
Cost
The cost of teeth whitening procedures in your dentist’s office and treatment at home could vary significantly. This is one of the major differences between these two types of teeth whitening methods. The average cost of a professional teeth whitening that is done in your dentist’s office is approximately $650 per visit.
Dental insurance will not typically cover the cost of cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening. Hence, you won’t be able to use that to lower the cost of professional teeth whitening.
On the other hand, the cost of at-home kits ranges from $100 to $400 (which can be used for several weeks). You can also purchase over-the-counter teeth whitening products from $20 to $100 (depending on the type of product you use).
If you are on a budget, the home kits are definitely your best bet since they are more cost-efficient. But make sure you conduct a thorough review of the kits you use to ensure that you can get the same results as in-office teeth whitening. Choosing to have your teeth whitening done at home requires that you meet certain criteria first, such as making sure that you have no existing oral health conditions.
Are You a Candidate?
On the surface, professional teeth whitening and at-home kits may seem the same. But they are different on so many levels. You need to assess which of the two types of teeth whitening methods to choose according to your oral care needs.
If you have any underlying oral and dental conditions, it is best to opt for professional teeth whitening. Dentists will conduct a thorough examination of your oral health in order to assess if you have any of these dental conditions. Most dentists will address these oral health issues prior to recommending that you start on your professional teeth whitening treatment. This will ensure that any treatment you undergo will not cause sensitivity or a significant amount of pain.
On the other hand, if you have generally healthy teeth and gums, you can opt for home kits. These are products that can be purchased over-the-counter or without the need for a prescription from your doctor. Since there are no restrictions, they are recommended for those with healthy teeth and gums. You need to pass basic oral health screening to ensure that you won’t damage your teeth or gums by undergoing teeth whitening.