Did you know that your teeth are genetically programmed to have certain characteristics including color? Plus, everyday foods and drinks (like coffee and chocolate) can leave behind stubborn stains. Fortunately, there is a convenient solution to help brighten your smile. With our in-office and take-home teeth whitening treatments, our Agawam cosmetic dentist , Dr. Michitti, can give you a smile that is bright and appealing. Want to learn more? Then schedule a consultation with us or read on!
Over the years, your teeth may become stained for a variety of reasons, some of which are out of your control, including the natural aging process. However, dental discoloration can also surface due to:
In short, if you are unhappy with the shade of your teeth, you should schedule an appointment with us. We’ll help you determine the best way to achieve your dream smile!
To treat your tooth discoloration problems and achieve a brighter, healthier-looking smile, Dr. Michitti has chosen two proven, safe, and customized brands: KoR and Opalescence. Of course, the treatment process will also look a bit different based on whether you pick an in-office treatment or a take-home kit. We’ll gladly explain the benefits of both at your consultation so that you can select the method that best suits you, your lifestyle, and your budget. In the meantime, here’s a bit more information about each:
You’ll be given custom-fitted mouth trays as well as professional-grade bleaching agents designed to be used at home. Just fill the trays and wear them according to Dr. Michitti’s instructions. You’ll see your smile begin to whiten right away, but the most noticeable results will occur after two weeks of use.
But what if you don’t have time in your daily routine to dedicate to whitening your teeth? What if you have a wedding or job interview, and you want to see results faster? That’s where our in-office teeth whitening treatments come in; we can lighten your teeth by eight shades in as little as one hour!
To maintain your bright, white smile for as long as possible, we recommend adopting a solid oral hygiene regimen. Naturally, that starts with brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with mouthwash each evening. However, it extends to other good habits, like visiting us twice a year for a checkup, using a straw when drinking dark-colored beverages, and not using tobacco products. We also recommend getting touch-up treatments as needed to keep your smile as bright as it is beautiful.
Professional teeth whitening may cost more up front than store-bought kits, but the results speak for themselves. Whether you’re choosing an in-office whitening or a take-home kit, Dr. Michitti can customize treatment to your whitening goals, so there’s no need to waste precious time and money on inferior strips and gels that take months to provide noticeable results.
With professional whitening systems like KoR and Opalescence, you get what you pay for: beautiful, natural looking, whiter teeth in a fraction of the time of OTC products. In fact, you may end up paying less for one professional treatment than you would for months of diluted products from the store!
Though professional teeth whitening is usually one, set cost, there are a few factors that could affect how many treatments you’ll need to achieve your desired results. These include:
In-office teeth whitening typically ranges in price from between $400 and $800; however, in some rare cases it could exceed $1,000 due to extenuating circumstances.
Most take-home professional whitening kits with custom trays from Dr. Michitti typically cost a few hundred dollars, while OTC whitening trays that are not custom fit may cost around $100 or less. Whitening strips or gels usually range from $20 to $40 and contain enough product for about two weeks of treatment.
If you’re only paying attention to the numbers above, it’s probably confusing why patients would pay for professional whitening when cheaper alternatives exist. But when it comes to whitening your teeth, the quality of your results is clearly reflected in the amount you pay. While using more affordable white strips or gels may seem like a better bargain, it can often take months to achieve your desired smile goals, if you notice any changes at all. By then, you’ve invested more money and far more time on treatment, and it could very well end up costing you more than it would have if you’d just gotten professional whitening from the start! In fact, professional in-office whitening can be done in about an hour, while take-home kits from Dr. Michitti can get the same results in about two weeks! Thus, when considering which option to choose, don’t forget to factor in the cost of your time, too.
Because professional teeth whitening is an elective, cosmetic procedure, it is almost never covered by dental insurance. However, Dr. Michitti does offer several options for making this treatment more affordable and budget friendly.
If you’re ready to remove up to eight shades of discoloration from your teeth in less than two weeks, please reach out to our office and schedule a professional teeth whitening consultation with Dr. Michitti. We will be happy to go over all the financial details and answer any questions at your appointment.
Are you still wondering about our professional teeth whitening at Lifetime Dental of Agawam? Dr. Michitti wants to ensure that his patients have all of the information they need before committing to treatment. That’s why he has included the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about teeth whitening. Keep reading to satisfy your curiosity and learn more!
We take all of the proper precautions to ensure that your teeth whitening treatment is comfortable and pain-free. However, some patients with preexisting tooth sensitivity may automatically experience slight irritation. For most, this treatment is easy to receive, and it actually has a lower risk of tooth sensitivity compared to store-bought products because it’s personalized to your smile.
Our teeth whitening treatment is designed to last much longer than store-bought products. That said, the longevity of your newly brightened smile will depend on how well you care for your teeth. Be sure to brush, floss, and avoid foods rich in color like wine or pasta sauce because they can stain your teeth. Typically, you can enjoy bright, white results for at least 3 to 6 months.
Activated charcoal can help remove light surface stains on the teeth by clinging to bacteria and pulling it off. If you do end up using charcoal, be very careful because it can cause abrasion on your enamel. However, it isn’t the safest way to whiten teeth, and it won’t reach discoloration beneath the surface. That’s why we offer professional teeth whitening—this service gives you results that you simply can’t get with charcoal or other over-the-counter products.
We are proud to provide a service that helps patients look and feel better! Our teeth whitening is completely safe, but we do recommend limiting the number of times you professionally whiten your teeth because it may eventually cause sensitivity. However, we can examine your smile and develop a personalized treatment plan that includes the dates where you can come in for teeth whitening. That way, we can help you keep your teeth bright and beautiful while also avoiding side effects from over-whitening your smile.