For many people, a perfect smile requires sparkling white teeth.
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Teeth whitening: 4 options and prices
The whiteness of the teeth is mostly lost by contact with some substances . The most common thing is that the excess in the consumption of drinks and foods that contain pigmenting agents ends up giving rise to a yellowish tone in the teeth.
Cola drinks, tobacco, coffee, mate, tea and some medications are the ones that usually affect the whiteness of the teeth. On the other hand, teeth that have undergone endodontics darken noticeably compared to the rest.
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1. Dental whitening in clinic
In-clinic teeth whitening offers very fast results . This procedure is carried out with photoactivation. The results are so fast that in less than an hour you can already see a big difference.
This technique is very safe, it is performed in the clinic and you can also see immediate results. In this procedure, the teeth are first covered with a special cover. Subsequently, a whitening gel is applied and they are exposed to an LED light that potentiates the action of the gel.
What happens is that the gel opens the tooth pore and the led light whitens the tooth. These pores close after a few days, and if the necessary care is not carried out after whitening, some stains can occur. Avoid coffee, tea, tobacco, wine, etc.
This is a technique that is not recommended to be performed very often. In addition to damaging the natural enamel of the tooth, frequent exposure to the chemicals used and LED light weaken the root. In addition, it is common for the days after treatment to present sensitivity in the teeth.
The approximate price of in-clinic teeth whitening with LED is approximately 330 euros. In Mexico it is $3,500, while in Argentina it is $4,500.
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2. Teeth whitening at home
Teeth whitening at home offers very long-lasting results . Although this procedure is not carried out in a clinic, it must be supervised by a dentist. Only products that have been provided by a specialist may be used.
For this type of whitening, the dentist first takes measurements of the patient’s teeth. This is used to make transparent and soft plastic covers. The whitening gel is applied on these and then placed on the teeth.
It is recommended that this be applied at night. Wearing the splints does not cause any discomfort or pain. Several sessions are required before reaching the desired tone and it is the dentist who indicates how many sessions should be applied.
It is a safer and highly recommended method. It also causes minor sensitivity, disappearing once the treatment is finished. The results are very long lasting but it is important to keep all monitoring under supervision.
This dental treatment costs approximately 350 euros in Spain. In Mexico it can be found from $2,000, and in Argentina from $3,000. It is a personalized procedure that must be carried out by a professional.
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3. Combined teeth whitening
Combined tooth whitening applies the two previous techniques to optimize results . There is also the possibility of applying teeth whitening at home and reinforcing it with dental whitening in the clinic.
For this procedure, measurements are taken of the patient’s teeth to make plastic covers where the whitening gel is applied. The dentist determines how many sessions are required equally, and later when the treatment with the LED light is performed. This part can be carried out with one or two sessions, as determined by the dentist (regularly one is enough).
Although this type of whitening ensures very effective and fast results, it also increases sensitivity considerably. It is also important to remember that the initial part must be under professional supervision.
The cost for a mixed teeth whitening treatment in Spain is about 350 euros, while in Mexico it is $2,500 and in Argentina it is $4,000.
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4. Internal tooth whitening
Internal tooth whitening is used on endodontically treated teeth . When a tooth has undergone a root canal, it loses color. This is because by killing the nerve, the tooth becomes opaque and gradually darkens.
For this reason, this type of whitening is only performed on parts with endodontics. It is very common for the tone of this piece to look noticeably different from the rest of the teeth, so it is advisable to apply the internal whitening treatment.
This procedure can only be performed by a dentist, and it is applied directly in a clinic. It does not need anesthesia and does not cause any pain. It requires several sessions before obtaining the desired shade, which will largely depend on the color of the rest of the teeth.
Internal tooth whitening can be combined with the other whitening methods used on the rest of the teeth. For this treatment, a special product such as sodium perborate or carbamide peroxide is applied.
In this way the tone of all the teeth will be equalized and a natural white color could be worn. The cost for internal teeth whitening in Spain ranges from 160 to 190 euros for the first session and 60 euros for subsequent sessions. In Mexico the cost is about $2,000 for the first session, and the following ones are about $500. In Argentina, sessions cost around $4,000 Argentine pesos.
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Bibliographic references
- Azer, S.S., Machado, C., Sanchez, E. y Rashid, R. (2009). Effect of home bleaching systems on enamel nanohardness and elastic modulus. Journal of Dentistry. 37 (3): 185–90.
- Leonard, R.H., Haywood, V.B. yPhillips, C. (1997). Risk factors for developing tooth sensitivity and gingival irritation associated with nightguard vital bleaching”. Quintessence International (Berlin, Germany: 1985), 28 (8), 527–534.
- Kugel, G. y Ferreira, S. (2005). The art and science of tooth whitening”. Journal of the Massachusetts Dental Society, 53 (4), 34–37.
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