Teeth whitening--questions

[Blueeyes101817]

Hi everyone..in the last 2 weeks, i have gotten 2 mail things about teeth whitening...The first was for a discount of 275 for the molded do it at home teeth whitening..they siad it would last 1 year ..
the other was for 500 dollars to do the whitening in the dentist..said will last at lesat 3 years...

anyone have any experience with either of these?

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I had the kind where the dentist makes a plastic mold of your teeth and you squirt a syringe of the product into it, put it in your mouth and sleep with it. I did it for 14 days, and got great results. I didn't pay for it because he did it for promotional reasons on my husband for free, so I whined until he gave it to me for free. He usually charges $500 for the initial treatment phase. You are supposed to repeat it after 6 months if necessary.. ( I did it 3 years ago, then a few treatments here and there-my teeth are still pretty white) I had trouble getting used to sleeping with the contraption in my mouth, and in the beginning I felt sensitivity in my teeth (but nothing like the pain I got when I tried the Crest Whitestrips!) He had a treatment to use for sensitivity, too.

It was definitely worth it for me (free!), but really, it did work great. I did it a month before my 25th HS reunion, and my teeth looked fabulous!

I would be curious about the in office treatment they now have using some kind of special light? Anyone have that done?

 

[Blueeyes101817]

Thanks..thats the one option im looking into..but since you may have to repeat in 6 months, im kinda nervous..im in college haha..my parents are helping me pay for it because the medicine i take yellows my teeth...errrrrr

I would love to hear peoples experiences with the other kind..i have to cal lthe dentist tomorrow

 

[Blueeyes101817]

and did u think it would be worth the price..thanks

 

[aprilgail2]

my dentist actually suggested just trying Crest White Stripes and they worked great for me!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

i tried the whitestrips a couple of years ago before my prom...wanted to look nice of course they worked at the time, but like a month later , it was back to how it used to be..

 

[goin2disneyagain]

It has been 6 years since I did the trays (the molded ones) that you get from your dentist. I rarely do touch ups and my teeth are still pretty white. I had considered doing the laser teeth whitening because I hate wearing the trays at night but I am hesitant to spend that much money when it doesn't last very long. At least touch ups with the trays you only have to pay for the bleaching syringes. I want to do a touch up because they have faded a little. I think it was worth it.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

goin2--how long does it last for the laser whitening?

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I was told the laser whitening lasted a year or 2.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

hmm okay thanks...i dunno what to do!!

 

[HollyJoy]

I just bought the Crest Whitestrips. Have been putting it off because of the price, and I didn't want to pay that money if they didn't work. However, I've seen many posts from people who have had sucess with them, so I bit the bullet and bought them!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Why don't you do this. Try the Crest Whitestips. Buy them from K-Mart or Walmart, and the reason for this is that if they hurt your teeth, or don't work to your satisfaction, you can take them back as long as you keep the receipt. I am not kidding. I bought some from KMart, and after about 3 days couldn't stand the sensitivity they caused. I took them back, they gave me a refund. It's all about customer satisfaction with those two stores, and if you aren't satisfied they will give you a refund. It's worth a try, and they may not bother your teeth like mine. And from an above poster, they work! They don't cost that much, and the newspaper have a coupon once in a while.


Something just occured to me from your OP. You said that your teeth are discolored because of medication. Have you asked your dentist if this is reversible? Whitening may not help. And if you are finished with the meds, it may go away..


Good luck!

 

[Blueeyes101817]

i did try the whitestrips..i did them before prom..they worked, but didnt stay...

the reason my teeth need to be whitened is because of medicine, so i dunno if that matters

 

[tiggersmom2]

I hate to admit this but here goes..... My dad is a dentist and I am his hygienist. About 2 years ago we got the new ultra -violet tooth whitening system by rembrandt (bright smile) and we were really excited about it. We did about 10 patients a week for a month before my Dad quit. He felt it did NOT whiten the teeth enough to justify the 500.00 that it cost. We looked into other whitening systems, such as zoom, but found out that those could kill the nerve of the tooth if the dentist isn't EXTREMELY careful. We just recommend crest white strips or Colgate night effects.

 

[Jennyfyar]

I have used the Crest whitening strips, the Bright Smile laser whitening, and the dental bleaching trays . I do not smoke or drink coffee or tea. I rarely even drink a soda, so my teeth were not that discolored. To me they looked like buttered popcorn, but my dentist said they were very light on the color scale.

The Crest Strips I used about 2 1/2 years ago. I used them for about three weeks before we went on a cruise. I could see a difference, but my teeth were not as white as I wanted.

Then I did the laser whitening at the dentist. It was $500, but my dentist is my neighbor and good friend so we worked out a trade for his wife's nails. (I own a salon.) It hurt!! I did it in the winter and we were going to a Christmas lights show that evening. My teeth are generally not sensitive, but I had to hold my hands over my mouth to try to warm the air up before it went past my teeth! My teeth hurt for several days. I was not overly impressed with the whiteness, but several of my customers noticed. I would never pay for this procedure. After about 9 months my teeth were back to where they were.

Now I have the dental trays. Where I live in GA it runs about $275. I used them every other or every third day for about three weeks. My teeth got incredibly white. They were a little sensitive, but nothing unbearable. I use them maybe one night every four months now to retain the whiteness. The bleach lasts foever, I think, if you store it in the refridgerator. The trays should last forever if you store them in their case. Extra bleach runs about $30 for four syringes full (8 uses.)

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Originally posted by Blueeyes101817
i did try the whitestrips..i did them before prom..they worked, but didnt stay...

the reason my teeth need to be whitened is because of medicine, so i dunno if that matters

Have you asked your dentist if the meds are causing irreversible discoloration? He/she should be able to tell you if whitening is even something you can do. But since the whitestrips did work, it sounds like you are a candidate.

If you really put it into perspective, we girls spend a lot of money to look pretty. (or in my case, presentable!) Our teeth/smile are the most prominent feature on our face. So it is definitely worth it to take care of your teeth, healthwise and cosmetically. I have what the hygienist called "opaque" teeth, so mine can only get so white-not brilliantly white like the girls on the commercials. But then they probably haven't been drinking coffee and tea for 30 years, either.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

i guess i should call the dentist tomorrow..i just didnt wnat them to tell me to do the laser so they would get more money...so i dunno yet

 

[Shugardrawers]

I tried the OTC kind where you put the gel in the tray. It burned my gums so badly I had to go to the dentist to be checked out (not to mention the incredibly sensitive teeth it gave me). He recommended I file a lawsuit! Please be careful about what brand you buy. I tried the whitestrips but they didn't stick well to my teeth. I finally gave up and am just learning to live with it.

 

[Lynn CC]

I just had mine done yesterday at the Dentist office for the 4th time. I get it done when I think they not white enough. I like them looking as white as milk
I've gotten Brite Smile which is a lazor whitening 3 times and then this past time I got Zoom. DH and DS also get theirs whitened. We all suggest you get it done at the Dentist.
$500 is a great price for lazor whitening, such as BriteSmile or Zoom. I think you'll like Zoom Better, I do. I can just smile all day they are so white.
Make sure you follow the instructions and don't eat anything of color for 48 hours afterwards. Just clear and white foods are best.
We've paid anywhere from $550 to $900 to get our teeth whitened. DH paid the $900 just a few months ago to get extra whitening on his bottoms to match his perfectly white top teeth!
I think we are all "whitely" obsessed with our teeth!

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I have a dentist appointment next week for a cleaning. I am going to ask them about the laser whitening and decide if I want to do that or just stick with the whitening trays I got from them.