Laser Whitening vs. In-Home Trays: Which Is Right for You?

Dentist Blog

There are few things more universally attractive than a smile full of white teeth, so it should come as no surprise that tooth whitening treatments are so popular. There are quite a few options available, but people who want a professional solution will often find themselves trying to decide between laser treatment and in-home trays with bleaching gel.

Well, there's no one right answer for everyone, but there's probably a right answer for you. To help yourself decide, simply read through the key benefits that come with each option.

Why Should You Choose Laser Whitening?

As with in-home trays, laser whitening involves the application of whitening gel to the teeth. However, the process is speeded up when a laser is directed at the teeth – it isn't harmful, it just makes the gel work faster. And that's the main advantage of laser whitening: speed. If you want to change the appearance of your smile overnight, laser whitening is where it's at. You'll only need one or two trips to your dentist to reinvent your smile.

In contrast, you'll need to wear trays for extended periods each day over a period of one or two weeks. Laser whitening isn't just faster – it's also a lot more convenient. Apart from not having to wear trays in your mouth for hours at a time, you won't need to worry about applying the bleaching gel yourself – with laser whitening, everything is handled for you.

Finally, laser whitening might be the better option if you tend to suffer from sensitive teeth. Any kind of whitening treatment can cause stabs of sensitivity, but most people would rather feel sensitivity for a couple of hours after a single treatment rather than across a couple of weeks.

Why Should You Choose In-Home Trays?

Laser whitening comes with some great benefits, but there's also one serious downside: cost. It'll take a couple of hundred dollars to create custom-fit trays, but that's only a one-time cost. Once you have the trays, you can keep using them again and again. All you need to buy is bleaching gel, and bleaching gel is cheap. In contrast, laser whitening can cost thousands of dollars every time you have it done.

In-home trays are also easier to source. Almost every dentist office will be able to make them for you, but laser whitening is harder to find. If you live far from a large city, that might be a problem. Finally, it's worth keeping in mind that an overnight change in tooth colour isn't always desirable. It's more noticeable, so you might prefer to change things gradually over a couple of weeks.

For more information, contact a local dentist.

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24 January 2018

Fillings: Everything You Need to Know

Hi! Welcome to my blog! My name is Kerry, and this blog is focused on dental fillings. It looks at the history of fillings, options for contemporary fillings, how to protect your fillings, when to replace them and much more. If you have ever had a cavity filled or if you are planning to get a tooth filled, you will find the information in this blog useful. I try to look at fillings from all angles, and I even plan to look at how to avoid fillings through proper dental hygiene and sealants. Thanks for reading, and I hope you find the info intellectually "filling."