Joseph Vollo, DDS • Katherine Vollo, DDSTeeth Whitening – Rochester, NY
Brightening Your Radiant Smile
It happens to everyone. Your teeth can appear yellow or dull with exposure to highly pigmented foods and drinks. Even just with normal wear and tear, your teeth can lose their youthful whiteness. The good news is that you can get it back! Although you could try commercial whitening products, they don’t deliver the dramatic results that they promise. At Vollo Dental Group, we offer two professional-strength treatment options that can restore your smile’s natural radiance: Zoom! in-office treatment and at-home whitening kits.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Of course, the best way to truly find out if you’re a candidate is by scheduling a consultation with one of our talented Rochester cosmetic dentists . However, the large majority of patients who are struggling with dental discoloration are a good fit for professional teeth whitening since the treatments are completely personalized and designed to protect your oral health! Plus, if there is an obstacle in your way at first, like a large cavity, then we can incorporate the appropriate restorative care into your treatment plan so you can still achieve the bright, white smile you’ve been missing.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Since we offer two different types of teeth whitening, it depends! Here’s an in-depth breakdown of what you can expect with take-home and in-office teeth whitening:
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
Some people just don’t have room in their schedules to spend extra time in a dental office for treatment, but they want the same dramatic impact on their smile. That’s why we offer take-home whitening kits that can be used every day at your convenience. For the best results, you need to follow the instructions we give you, but here is how the general process of take-home whitening goes:
- We take impressions of your teeth that will be used to create your custom whitening trays.
- We also document the original color of your teeth.
- When your trays are ready, you can begin treatment. Start by brushing and flossing your teeth so that they are as clean as possible.
- Apply the whitening gel to the trays as instructed.
- Wear the trays for as long as we tell you while watching your favorite shows, playing on your phone, doing chores—basically whatever you want, except eating.
- Repeat steps 3 through 5 every day for about two weeks. By then, you should notice your teeth becoming whiter.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
For those in a rush, Zoom! in-office whitening may be the best choice. In just one one-hour appointment, you could see your smile improve up to ten shades! Our in-office treatment goes as follows:
- We document the color of your teeth to compare to the final results.
- Then, we clean your teeth to prevent debris from interfering with the whitening solution’s effectiveness.
- To protect your gums and soft tissue, we isolate your teeth using gauze and a cheek retractor.
- We apply the highly concentrated solution to the front surfaces of your teeth and shine a special light on them to activate the whitening agent.
- We may apply additional coatings of the solution to get better results.
- When we’re finished, we’ll rinse your teeth and give them a fluoride treatment to help with any sensitivity.
- Finally, you get to see the difference between before and after treatment.
Down the road, you can use take-home whitening kits to touch up your teeth and maintain the whiteness you’ve achieved.
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
Regardless of the type of teeth whitening treatment you chose, you want the results to last! To prevent stubborn stains from surfacing, we encourage our patients to:
- Visit us every six months for a checkup and cleaning
- Commit to a solid dental care routine at home
- Use a straw when drinking wine, coffee, and other dark-colored beverages
- Avoid unhealthy dental habits, like smoking
- Eat nutrient-dense, light-colored foods, like yogurt and oatmeal
Because we truly care about each of our patients, we want to help them achieve their goals and have a smile they are proud of. To schedule a consultation and start teeth whitening treatment with us, contact our Rochester office today!
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
The cost of teeth whitening in Rochester cannot be determined without seeing a member of our team for an initial consultation. It’s only after we examine your smile that we can determine the severity of the stains and the amount of whitening you will need to achieve your desired goals. Once we have these factors established, we will craft a treatment plan and cost estimate that you can review before moving forward. Our team will work to navigate the financial options you can pursue so that you can get the smile of your dreams.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
There are several factors that our team must consider when it comes to formulating a cost estimate for your teeth whitening procedure. These include whether you need additional oral treatment (i.e., dental decay, gum disease, etc.), how severe your stains are and whether they’re intrinsic or extrinsic, and whether you opt for take-home or in-office whitening.
Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?
When it comes to determining how you plan to whiten your teeth, you’ll find that there are various options to choose from. At Vollo Dental Group, we are pleased to offer both in-office and take-home whitening kits, but there is the option of store-bought solutions. Unfortunately, these are unlikely to produce the kind of results you truly desire.
With in-office whitening, you can expect to pay between $400-500. If take-home whitening kits are what you prefer, it’ll likely cost you between $200-300. Store-bought solutions can run, on average, between $20 and $100 depending on the type you choose (i.e., strips, gels, trays, whitening pens, etc.).
Fast Teeth Whitening VS Inexpensive Teeth Whitening
You may want an inexpensive solution, but cheaper doesn’t always mean better. Of course, the idea of achieving a whiter smile in only one hour might seem like it’s too good to be true. What you need to remember is that although it takes little time to see a whiter, brighter smile with our team at Vollo Dental Group, the results you’ll receive are well worth the investment.
Inexpensive solutions like gels, one-size-fits-all trays, and strips may promise whiter teeth, but you may be left with increased sensitivity and stains that do not go away.
Choosing a trusted professional who uses high-grade products to rid your teeth of discoloration may cost more, but you can expect to enjoy the kind of smile you’ve always wanted for longer.
Options for Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Since dental insurance is unlikely to pay for teeth whitening treatment, you’ll be forced to find alternative solutions to help you pay for your whiter smile. This is where CareCredit comes in. As a third-party financier, this service helps to provide low or no-interest payment plans so that you can stay on budget and avoid high out-of-pocket expenses.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Is Teeth Whitening Safe?
When done by a trained dentist, teeth whitening is entirely safe. The treatment won’t harm your teeth, gums, or other parts of your mouth.
For starters, this service only uses products that have been tested. Its bleaching gel is vetted and approved by the FDA and ADA. As a result, the whitening process shouldn’t have bad side effects.
Furthermore, your dentist is trained to perform the whitening. They’re a licensed professional who knows what they’re doing. So, they’ll ensure you receive enough gel to get white results safely. They’ll also use custom trays to keep the solution from spreading too much.
Does Teeth Whitening Hurt?
Some people may fear that teeth whitening hurts. However, it should brighten your grin without causing any pain. That means you don’t need to hesitate to get treatment.
You see, teeth whitening is entirely custom. The dentist will tailor it to your smile’s unique makeup. As a result, there’s almost no chance you’ll have tooth sensitivity. The process ought to be pain-free for you.
Of course, you can further reduce the risk of sensitivity. Simply space out your treatments, avoid hot beverages, and use specialty toothpaste. These actions will keep unpleasant feelings at bay.
Does Teeth Whitening Work on Dental Crowns?
Sadly, no – teeth whitening doesn’t work on dental crowns. The latter restorations can’t be whitened like your natural smile. Instead, a whitening can leave you with crowns that don’t match other teeth.
It all comes down to crowns’ materials. Normally, a whitener will seep into your porous enamel to remove its stains. However, crowns are made of non-porous ceramic and porcelain. They won’t allow whitening gel to reach inside them.
All that said, there are workarounds. You can keep crowns from staining by not smoking, avoiding dark-colored drinks, etc. There’s also the option of simply replacing the cap. By doing so, you could get a new crown that better suits your whitened smile.
What’s the Difference Between Professional and Store-Bought Teeth Whitening?
Yes, pro and store-bought whiteners have similar purposes. They both aim to brighten your enamel and give you a whiter smile. Still, they widely diverge in other areas.
Most of the time, store-bought teeth whiteners take a generic approach to care. They rely on things like one-size-fits-all trays, weak brighteners, etc. In doing so, they don’t tend to work very well. Their results are minimal and can take many sessions to appear.
On the other hand, pro whitening from a dentist is highly customized. It starts with a dental exam that accounts for your current oral health and existing restorations. To that extent, it’s safe, effective, and offers dramatic results.