Best Teeth Whitening Options

So you’ve decided to have your teeth whitened. And from the many teeth whitening methods that are available you’ve chosen to go the professional teeth whitening route. Great! Now, what’s next? The first thing you need to do is decide who is going to apply the treatment for you. Most people usually just assume that their family dentist will/can perform it. Sometimes that’s an okay plan. But most of the time, the best thing to do is shop around a little bit. You can start by collecting the names and phone numbers of a few dentists that you are considering and make an appointment to discuss whitening treatments with them. These dentists can be your personal dentist and others that you’ve been referred by friends and family. Or you can pull a few candidates from the local phone book. Whichever way you do it, put together a list of 4 or 5 dentists that you want to meet with and schedule appointments. Essentially you’re going to interview dentists to see who is best equipped to handle the job of whitening your teeth. This might seem a little overboard, but if you think about it, why should your health be put in the hands of just anybody? You want someone that you can trust and that you know is capable of giving you the quality service that you want and are paying for. There are seven important questions to ask when you meet with each dentist. Based on the answers to the questions you should find one that makes you most comfortable. After asking these seven questions it should be obvious to you who the right choice is.

1. Can you explain the procedure to me?

   How the dentist answers this question will go a long way towards influencing your decision. Do they take their time and give you a step by step explanation of what they’ll do and how it works? Or do they seem annoyed or bothered by your question and give you a rushed and bland response? Their reaction to this question will give you a good idea of how they treat their patients and either spark your interest or throw up some red flags.

2. What concentration of hydrogen peroxide do you use?

   Typically professional whitening treatments use a mixture that is 10% hydrogen peroxide. Any less than that and the results are lessened. Any more than that and you start running the risk of damaging your teeth. The dentist will most likely be aware of this and probably uses 10%. But by asking this question you let them know that you’re informed on the subject and that you expect accurate and truthful answers.

3. What does the treatment cost?

   This may be the most influential question. The answers to the other six questions will sway you one way or the other based on feelings. This answer will probably be the only one that includes a hard number, which makes the varying responses easy to compare. The prices will probably be pretty similar; however, the options and packages may be different. Beware of the super low price, especially if your intuition speaks up. This can be a sign that they use cheap products or shoddy instruments. Also keep in mind that although your budget is critical, the cost is only one component that goes into quality whitening. It may pay off to spend a little more in exchange for piece of mind.

4. How often do they perform the procedure?

   Do they whiten teeth daily? Weekly? Once a month? The dentist’s level of experience and practice is important in getting quality results. Just like you wouldn’t hire an inexperienced baker to make your wedding cake, you don’t want to spend good money on a dentist who performs a handful of whitening procedures a year.

5. Will they put you in touch with a previous whitening patient of theirs?

   Citing privacy laws most dentists will probably deny you this request. However, some patients are so pleased that they will be happy to give a testimonial for their dentist. If the dentist is on top of his or her marketing campaign they may have already gathered a list of references for the procedure. This question will probably not get you anywhere, but if you are able to speak with a patient you may get some extremely helpful insight into the dentist and the procedure.

6. What whitening system do they use?

   They probably use one or more of the three more popular brands: Zoom, BriteSmile or Rembrandt. Do some research ahead of time to see if there’s one system you prefer over another. All three come with high reviews, but there may be some things you like better about one. If all things are equal with two or three dentists, a preference in the brand may be the deciding factor.

7. Are you comfortable with this dentist?

   This is a question you ask yourself, while you’re meeting and afterward. Did you like the dentist? Were they personable and friendly? Was their office a pleasant place to be? Was it clean? Did you find their dental assistants to be helpful and caring? All these questions are important in ensuring that your treatment is enjoyable. Because you don’t have to answer to an insurance company and are paying for the treatment out of pocket, make sure you’re comfortable with everything involved. There are plenty of dentists to choose from so don’t force yourself to settle.

After you’ve met with all the dentist’s you scheduled appointments with, go over their answers and think about how you felt about each one before you decide. Keep in mind that you’re the decision maker. Don’t let a dentist make you feel rushed or intimidated. You are the consumer and they need/want your business. It’s not a good idea for them to upset you. Instead, give them an opportunity to make their case and then take your time coming to an informed decision. Your results will reflect the effort you made and you’ll be happier with the outcome.

Tags: dentist whitening, whitening system