Professional Whitening

Professional teeth whitening is fastest, safest

The quickest professional teeth-whitening method (*est. $500 to $800) uses light therapy to speed up the bleaching action of peroxide, which is used in a much higher concentration by dentists (15% to 43%) than in over-the-counter products (3% to 10%). This combination of therapies can lighten teeth up to ten shades in about an hour. Most testers record an improvement of three to eight shades and note that some people may need up to four treatments to achieve the level of whiteness they desire. Results from professional teeth-whitening can last up to a couple of years.

Many dentists do this procedure in their office using systems like the Zoom! Chairside Whitening System. Alternatively, you can go to a specialized whitening center in your local shopping mall, like those offered by BriteSmile. These are supervised centers where a dentist will examine your mouth to ensure that you are an appropriate candidate before you receive the tooth-whitening treatment. If the dentist suspects any problems, you'll be referred to your own dentist first. The ADA approves the use of "blue spectrum" light in these procedures (used by BriteSmile and at your dentist's office), but not the use of lasers.

A slightly cheaper (*est. $300 to $600), but less convenient, teeth-whitening option is to purchase a home bleaching kit from your dentist. These kits require use for one to two hours per day, or overnight, for up to ten days, and experts say that the process produces results that are as good as those produced in-office. The advantage of choosing a tooth whitening kit from the dentist versus over-the-counter is, again, a higher percentage of peroxide, a customized mouth tray that's fitted by your dentist and results that last up to a couple of years. The ADA approves dentist-supervised home kits containing 10% peroxide, but it does not recommend over-the-counter kits, primarily because of the lack of dentist supervision.