In-office teeth whitening - Is it the best choice for you?

Professional teeth whitening treatments (also called "laser" or in-office whitening) offer a good bleaching solution for some. Many people simply don't have an interest in treating themselves with an at-home system. They prefer the convenience and time savings that in-office treatments offer, even if their overall costs can be expected to be greater.

Our pages explain how a dentist performs whitening treatments (including a discussion on whether a laser or bleaching light is really needed). They also discuss the general advantages and disadvantages associated with this method, common side effects, and provide some specifics about popular product brands (Zoom!®. BriteSmile®, etc...) that a dentist typically has to offer.

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Which is best for you, in-office whitening or using an at-home product?

If you are considering whitening your teeth, you generally have two options. One is to have your treatments performed by your dentist, in their office (this is termed professional, in-office or laser whitening). The other is to perform treatments (unsupervised) on your own, on your own time.

FYI: You can probably get the same results with either method.

Since these two very different options do exist, many people may wonder: Which is best, having your dentist perform professional treatments or using an at-home system?

In response to this question, we'd first like to state that, in terms of the whitening effect created, neither one of these approaches is really the "best." The truth of the matter is that both methods have the potential to create the same end results. Here's why.

How tooth bleaching works.

Peroxide-based tooth whitening (the kind of process we're talking about here with both of these methods) is primarily a function of the following two factors:

1. The concentration of peroxide in the whitener.
2. The amount of time the whitener is in contact with the teeth.

And this simply means that, as a way of getting the same degree of lightening, a system can either:

• Have a low concentration whitener that is used over an extended period of time. (The method used by at-home products.)
  
  
• Have a higher concentration whitener that is used for a comparatively shorter period of time. (The method used by dentists in their office.)

And while our following pages will have more to say about each of these approaches (especially, why the bleaching light/laser the professional systems use probably isn't needed), the crux of the matter is that both in-office and at-home systems (especially a tray-based one) can generally produce the same whitening outcome. Neither method is necessarily "best."

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Is in-office bleaching the best fit for your situation, characteristics and lifestyle?

So, if it's likely that either approach (at-home or in-office) can be expected to produce the same type of whitening outcome, then the bigger question becomes, which approach is a better fit for you, the person? Which makes the better choice that way?

Comparing professional and at-home whitening treatments.

The following lists detail some of the advantages and disadvantages of each method, in terms of lifestyle needs and personal characteristics.

At-home systems:

• Treatments are unsupervised. The user must be capable of performing and complying with the product's technique and instructions.
• The person must have the time and inclination to perform their treatments.
• It can take some weeks, or even months, before the final results are seen.
• At-home products usually cost less than professional treatments.

In-office systems:

• Results can be seen immediately after each treatment.
• The whole process is accomplished in just a few appointments, possibly even just one.
• Professional whitening usually costs more than performing at-home treatments.

What's the best teeth whitening approach for you?

Which method seems to be the best fit with your lifestyle, personal characteristics and needs?

Are you long on time, and short on money? If so, it sounds like at-home teeth whitening might be the best choice.

Do you have a big event coming up soon that you want to transform your smile in time for? Or maybe you just don't think you can incorporate do-it-yourself whitening treatments into your busy lifestyle?

If this is the case, then it seems that professional treatment performed by your dentist might provide the best solution.

< How much do professional treatments cost?   |   How do dentists perform in-office treatments? >

Answers to questions about
In-office (laser) teeth whitening.