Teeth Whitening – Tampa, FL
Brighten Your Smile and Boost Your Confidence
The quality of your grin is one of the first things people notice about you, and it’s only natural to want to make a positive impression. However, if your teeth appear dark or dirty due to dental stains, you might try to remain tight-lipped or avoid spending time with others, which can detract from your daily quality of life.
Thankfully, our team can provide professional teeth whitening solutions to help brighten your smile and boost your confidence. Continue reading to learn more about these popular cosmetic services, and feel free to contact the office to schedule a consultation.
Why Choose Advanced Dental Associates of Tampa Palms for Teeth Whitening?
- In-Office Procedures & Take-Home Kits Available
- Professional-Strength Solutions for Beautiful Results
- Custom-Fitted Applicator Trays for Enhanced Accuracy
Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Anyone who is not 100% pleased with the shade of their teeth can potentially benefit from professional whitening, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the best way to meet everyone’s unique needs. For example, extrinsic stains in the enamel caused by consuming too many darkly toned foods or drinks tend to respond better to topical bleach and can often be effectively reduced this way.
However, intrinsic blemishes that seep into or originate in the lower layer of dentin might require a different service, such as dental bonding or placing veneers, to hide the imperfections. After your initial consultation and examination with one of our dentists, we can devise an appropriate treatment plan.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Teeth whitening products typically contain a peroxide-based bleach that interacts with pigmented particles on your enamel, reducing their size and color concentration to lighten the shade of your smile. Although store-bought options claim to work effectively, they often contain diluted solutions and one-size-fits-all trays that result in inconsistent results or sensitivity.
Meanwhile, our providers utilize ultra-concentrated solutions designed to mitigate potential discomfort. We offer two treatment options, outlined in more detail below.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
We understand that life is busy, and it can be challenging to make time for an hour-long in-office procedure. That’s why we offer take-home kits that include everything you need to achieve quality results from the comfort of your living room, such as custom-fitted applicator trays and professional-strength gels. Many patients start to see changes within 2 weeks of using the product as instructed.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
We also offer in-office services utilizing the popular Zoom! whitening system for those who prefer more immediate results. We’ll carefully apply the gel to your enamel, then accelerate the bleaching process using ultraviolet light, which can potentially brighten your grin by several shades in a single appointment.
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
Once you’ve finally achieved the sparkling smile you’ve always dreamed of, it’s normal to want to do everything you can to preserve the results. Teeth whitening often lasts anywhere from 6 months to a few years, but you can help maintain the upgraded color by:
- Cleaning your teeth consistently. Brushing and flossing twice daily removes plaque and bacteria that give pigmented particles a surface to cling to.
- Schedule touch-ups. You may need periodic touch-ups to maintain the ideal shade over time.
- Avoid eating dark foods. You may want to avoid common culprits known to stain, such as coffee, tea, wine, or berries, and
- Strengthen your enamel. Increasing your consumption of lightly toned dairy products containing calcium can strengthen your enamel and help preserve the hue.
- Attend regular checkups. Visiting our team every six months allows us to monitor your condition and polish away more recent surface stains with a professional cleaning.
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Some patients who want to brighten their smiles hesitate to schedule a cosmetic consultation because they’re afraid they can’t afford teeth whitening. It’s natural to want to know how much it might cost in advance, but the truth is that the rate can vary depending on your unique circumstances.
Continue reading to learn more about how the cost is determined and how our Tampa office helps make treatments more affordable!
Factors That Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
Although teeth whitening typically has a predetermined price, there are several factors that can influence how many treatments you might need to achieve the desired results, such as:
- The type of stains. Extrinsic discoloration in your enamel from consuming too many darkly pigmented foods and drinks often responds better to topical treatments than intrinsic blemishes that seep into the lower layer of dentin, helping avoid steeper costs.
- The severity of your condition. Patients with teeth that look more brown or yellow are more likely than others to require multiple treatments, which can increase the final invoice.
- Other necessary services. Our team will examine your mouth for signs of cavities or gum disease before proceeding with cosmetics, and if we find issues requiring treatment, you’ll also be responsible for paying for those services.
Types of Teeth Whitening and Associated Pricing
There are several potential methods of whitening teeth, which are outlined below in more detail with potential pricing:
- In-office procedures. Our team offers in-office procedures that can potentially lighten your enamel by several shades in a single visit, which can range from about $400 to $800+.
- Take-home kits. We can also provide professional-strength gels and customized trays for accurate at-home results, often for several hundred dollars.
- Store-bought trays. It’s sometimes possible to purchase one-size-fits-all whitening trays for about $100 or less.
- Commercial-grade gels. Different stores and pharmacies carry gels or strips, which might cost $20 to $40 per box.
Commercial vs. Professional Teeth Whitening
If you’re on a tight budget, you might feel tempted to turn to store-bought options to brighten your smile. However, these products tend to contain more diluted bleaches that cause sensitivity or don’t provide consistent outcomes.
Meanwhile, our team uses ultra-strength gels designed to minimize potential discomfort and custom-fitted trays for more accurate results, both in the office and at home. Not only that, but we also examine your mouth first and treat any pre-existing concerns, so that your teeth are as healthy as they are beautiful after treatment.
Options for Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Most dental insurance policies don’t cover the cost of cosmetic procedures intended to enhance your appearance more than your oral health, including teeth whitening. But we believe everyone deserves to feel confident about how their smile looks, regardless of their current financial circumstances.
If you’re worried about affording the desired upgrades to your grin, you might benefit from one of the following options:
- Flexible financing. We gladly welcome payment plans through CareCredit or Lending Club, which allow you to divide your total invoice into more manageable installments that are paid over a designated period if your application is approved, often with little to no interest.
- In-house membership. You are welcome to join our wellness plan for a low monthly or annual fee, which includes routine preventive exams, cleanings, and X-rays, as well as additional discounts on other procedures we offer.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Can I Drink Coffee After My Teeth Whitening Treatment?
It’s not recommended, especially if frequent coffee consumption is what brought you to our office in the first place. With that said, we know that many of our patients really look forward to their morning cup. If that’s the case for you, then it’s important that you take certain precautions to prevent noticeable, yellow stains from resurfacing, like using a straw.
What’s the Difference Between Professional and Store-Bought Teeth Whitening?
There isn’t just one difference; there are several! To begin, our professional teeth whitening treatments begin with a consultation with one of our talented cosmetic dentists. This ensures that we have an in-depth understanding of your aesthetic concerns, dental health, and smile goals before we begin the stain-lifting process. We also use professional-grade brightening products and custom-fitted trays, which ensure a seamless application and noticeable results.
Store-bought products, on the other hand, contain diluted whitening gels and flimsy applicators. Not only that, but they don’t consider the health of your teeth and gums. That’s why it’s best to visit your dentist if you want to address dental discoloration.
Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Eat After Whitening My Teeth?
There are a few foods that we recommend avoiding following your teeth whitening treatment in Tampa, including beets, tomato soup, and dark chocolate. You should also steer clear of ketchup, BBQ sauce, and other condiments that could cause a yellow hue to resurface on your teeth. Instead, fill your plate with foods that are smile-friendly and lighter in color, like bananas, cottage cheese, and oatmeal.
How Long Does Teeth Whitening Treatment Take?
Many patients are surprised to hear this, but there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. In order for us to provide you with an estimate of your treatment timeline, we need to consider the health of your smile, the severity of the stains, and how dramatic you want the results to be. Once we have all of this information, our team at Advanced Dental Associates of Tampa Palms can let you know how long the stain-lifting process will take.
Is Teeth Whitening Permanent?
Sadly, the results are not permanent. The best way to prolong your results is by incorporating good habits into your daily routine, like using a straw when drinking coffee and brushing your teeth twice a day. When the time does eventually come that your pearly whites start to no longer live up to their name, then call our Tampa dental team so we can schedule a touch-up treatment!
Does Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Teeth Whitening?
Typically, dental insurance providers only cover the cost of treatments that are “medically necessary,” which naturally excludes teeth whitening. The good news is that there is another way you can make the price more affordable: flexible financing! With trusted third-party financiers, like CareCredit, you can break up the total cost into monthly chunks that fit into your budget comfortably.