If you're looking for a teeth whitening service, there are many kinds to choose from. In-office, professional teeth whitening includes brands like Zoom and BriteSmile, and you can even get take-home trays to whiten from home.
And if you can't get in to see the dentist, but you still want professional whitening services, there are companies that offer the same custom-made whitening trays and professional-strength gel that you would get in the office but for a lower price.
To help you choose the best way to whiten your teeth, we'll go over:
- Types of teeth whitening services
- Teeth whitening services costs
- How to find teeth whitening services near you
We hope this information makes it easy for you to get that bright smile you've always wanted.
The Smile Brilliant teeth whitening kit is a professional teeth whitening service. The whitening trays are custom-made in the same labs that dentists use, and the whitening gel is professional-strength, 22% carbamide peroxide.
The gel is sealed in foil bags which means that light can't get through to the gel, which would cause the peroxide to break down into water. Smile Brilliant prevents this with their special packaging, meaning that the gel stays maximum strength!
So, you can whiten your teeth from the comfort and convenience of your home and you pay a fraction of the cost. You can start whitening your teeth right now with Smile Brilliant's professional teeth whitening service.
In This Article
Types of teeth whitening
There are myriad ways to whiten teeth. They range from $10 to $1,000+. Some work fast and provide dramatic results, and some don't actually whiten very well at all. And some still are best for helping to maintain a white smile once you've already whitened your teeth professionally.
Let's go over the three main teeth whitening services available to you:
In-office whitening
This can involve special teeth whitening lasers that speed up the bleaching time and amplify the results of a professional whitening procedure.
Your dentists will begin the procedure by applying a protective coating to your gums and lips so that they aren't harmed by either the lasers or the whitening gel.
Then, the dentist will apply a whitening product, usually containing hydrogen peroxide. A laser shines on your teeth during treatment, making the process quick and effective.
This can also involve deep bleaching, a longer process used to get rid of the toughest stains.
Laser procedures usually achieve the results you want in just one visit, which will take around an hour. However, your dentist may recommend you come back for repeat sessions. Bleaching procedures also involve at-home treatment and can take a couple of weeks.
This is also the most expensive way to whiten your teeth, with treatment costs ranging from $300 to $3,500.
Custom-fitted trays
Another option that delivers professional results is custom-fitted whitening trays that you can purchase from a company like Smile Brilliant. The way this works is that you use an impression kit to make molds of your teeth at home, and then you send these into a lab so that technicians make trays that fit your teeth perfectly.
They then send you your personalized whitening trays, along with a whitening gel that is the same strength your dentist would use.
You'll typically need to do treatments for around a month, so it does take longer, but ultimately the results are the same as you would get at the dentist for under $200.
Over-the-counter whitening
This is the most affordable way to whiten your teeth and includes methods like whitening strips, gels, pens, toothpaste, and LED kits. LED kits are typically the most effective at providing noticeable whitening results, whereas whitening toothpaste and mouthwashes may not provide noticeable results at all.
However, they can be useful in helping you maintain the whiteness of your teeth, so they are sometimes recommended along with or after a whitening treatment.
LED kits use whitening gel to whiten your teeth and LED lights to accelerate the whitening process. These are typically less effective than in-office whitening and customized tray options, but they are also more affordable. If all you're looking for is to brighten your smile a bit, they may be a good option for you.
In the video below a dental hygienist explains the best and safest teeth whitening services.
Teeth whitening services
Let's have a closer look at some of the specific services and brands of teeth whitening that you might find available near you.
Zoom teeth whitening service
Philips Zoom teeth whitening is a procedure where bleach is used to lighten the enamel of your teeth and also the dentin underneath. This method can successfully whiten stains and tooth discoloration that can happen from drinking coffee and wine, from smoking, and the natural effects of aging.
The standard version is Zoom WhiteSpeed, which takes 45 minutes and offers results of up to 8 shades whiter. This in-office procedure involves blue LED light technology that speeds up the whitening process, and 25% hydrogen peroxide whitening gel to actually whiten your teeth.
Your dentist will also apply amorphous calcium during the process to protect your enamel, increase luster, and reduce sensitivity.
If it's your first time whitening or you want to touch up teeth that have already been whitened, you may want to try the Zoom QuickPro. This takes just 30 minutes and can make your teeth up to 4 shades whiter.
You can find out more about Zoom teeth whitening services in our full Zoom guide.
Laser teeth whitening
This is another in-office teeth whitening service that uses lasers to speed up the bleaching effect. It's the most expensive method, but also provides the fastest results.
With this type of whitening, your dentist will first apply a rubber seal around your gums to protect them. They then cover your teeth with a bleaching gel that contains hydrogen peroxide. A laser shines on your teeth for dramatic whitening results.
For some people, this isn't the best option because it has a higher risk of causing discomfort due to tooth sensitivity.
BriteSmile teeth whitening service
This is a type of teeth bleaching service designed to be particularly gentle on sensitive teeth and is another in-office treatment. The gel used to whiten your teeth contains only 15% to 25% hydrogen peroxide concentration. This means that it will take longer than laser or Zoom whitening but patients typically feel less sensitivity during and after.
How this sensitive tooth whitening service works is that your dentist first applies a hardening resin to your gums to separate them from the teeth and protect them from the whitening solution. Then your dentist will apply the BriteSmile gel onto your teeth.
They will shine a laser on your teeth for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, your dentist will take the old gel off your teeth and put new gel on, reactivating the light again for 20 more minutes. This is repeated a total of three times for a total of 60 minutes, plus the time it takes to change the gel.
Deep bleaching
A deep bleaching service is a procedure that involves both in-office chairside bleaching and home bleaching. It can be used to whiten the toughest stains, including sometimes those caused by tetracycline. It's also a procedure used for maintaining pearly whites for longer periods of time.
During a deep cleaning, your dentist will take highly accurate impressions of your teeth, and create vinyl trays with a fit that is snug enough so that the whitening gel doesn't escape and irritate your gums.
Once your trays are made, you'll go back to the dentist for a conditioning treatment to prepare your teeth for the bleaching procedure. During this visit, your dentist will polish your teeth and apply desensitizing solution. A hydrogen peroxide solution is also applied to your teeth to help make your teeth more receptive to absorbing oxygen.
You then get an at-home whitening kit that you will use at night, typically for two weeks. When you go back to the dentist, they will give you the materials to repeat the procedure, and they will raise the concentration of hydrogen peroxide depending on your needs.
Smile Brilliant
Smile Brilliant is a teeth whitening service that makes it possible for you to whiten your teeth professionally, even if you can't get in to see the dentist.
Just like with in-office procedures, with Smile Brilliant you get custom-made molds of your teeth and you whiten with a proven-to-work solution of 22% carbamide peroxide — the same that dentists use for whitening treatments.
Another thing that sets Smile Brilliant apart is the way they seal their gel. Have you ever noticed that when you buy hydrogen peroxide, it always comes in an opaque brown bottle? That's because when light comes into contact with HP, the peroxide breaks down into water.
So to prevent that from happening, Smile Brilliant seal their whitening gel in special foil bags — for a longer shelf life and greater potency.
Since you are using trays made just for your teeth in professional dental labs, and dentist-strength whitening gel, Smile Brilliant can whiten anything from light stains to darkly stained teeth. It may even be able to help with deep stains from antibiotics like tetracycline as a child.
If you've got sensitive teeth, that's no problem because you can choose from their non-sensitive and sensitive whitening programs.
Because you are cutting out the middleman and getting your whitening trays directly from the source, Smile Brilliant costs quite a bit less than in-office whitening procedures — just under $200 for their sensitive treatment plan.
Mobile teeth whitening
Sometimes dentists make their services available to those who can't make it into a dentist's actual office by providing mobile dental services, usually out of a vehicle equipped with basic dental equipment. These services are also generally offered at a discounted price to populations who can't afford basic dental work.
Unfortunately, it isn't common for teeth whitening services to be offered with this method. The problem is that the equipment that dentists use in-office is too large to be portable.
The best option for teeth whitening services if you can't get to a clinic is to use an online service with custom trays like Smile Brilliant.
Teeth whitening services near me
You can find teeth whitening services near you by opting to whiten your teeth with a company like Smile Brilliant, which allows you to whiten your teeth professionally, without leaving your home.
However, if you'd prefer in-office professional whitening, the easiest way to find a dentist in your area by calling 866-383-0748. You'll be connected with a live operator who will put you through to a cosmetic dentist in your area.
Conclusion
Teeth whitening services are in high demand with the increasing emphasis placed on white teeth as a foundation for beauty standards. So it makes sense if you're looking for teeth whitening services near you.
There is a wide range of ways to whiten your teeth, including in-office, take-home customizable trays, and over-the-counter whitening kits, falling within a range of prices and effectiveness. Have a look at the table below for a summary of the services we covered:
Cost | Treatment time | When do results appear? | At-home or in-office? | |
Laser whitening | $400 - $1,800 | 1 hour | Right away | In-office |
Zoom whitening | $300 - $1,000 | Under an hour | Right away | In-office |
Custom trays (Smile Brilliant) | $150 - $200 | 3 months | Throughout treatment | At-home |
Whitening kits | $30 - $400 | Varies | Throughout treatment | At-home |
Deep bleaching | $800 - $3,500 | 14 days | Throughout treatment | In-office and at-home |
We hope this information helps you find the teeth whitening services you need, but we would also like to remind you that the whiteness of teeth doesn't always indicate dental health. So prioritize brushing and flossing and regular dental check-ups first — then you can start worrying about the aesthetics.
For more information on how to get your teeth whiter, check out all of our topics on teeth whitening.
FAQs
Is it bad to get your teeth whitened?
No, it's not bad to get your teeth whitened. There are plenty of ways to whiten your teeth that are safe, both professionally with custom trays and at home with a kit.
Teeth whitening can cause sensitivity and discomfort, and may not be suitable for everyone. Consult with your dentist before beginning a whitening procedure.
How much does it cost to get your teeth professionally whitened?
Teeth whitening services can cost anywhere from just under $200 for customized, take-home trays, to over $1,000 for in-office professional treatment with a dentist.
How long dong does teeth whitening last?
Many full-strength professional treatments can yield years of whiter teeth, but most people find they need to get touch-ups to maintain the whiteness of their smile. Touch-ups are less expensive and less intensive than the primary whitening treatment.
NIH: Bleaching efficacy of at home 16% carbamide peroxide: A long-term clinical follow-up study. Consulted 18th October 2021.