What is the difference between whitening at home Vs the dental chair?
The answer is there are different concentrations of the bleaching chemicals. Major differences in the mouth trays. Complete lack of or extra protection. Cost and of course, supervision by an expert.
But, let’s look at these facts in detail.
1) Bleaching agent
The bleaching products marketed for home treatment contain bleaching agents at low concentrations (10% -22% carbamide peroxide equal to 3% hydrogen peroxide). While the concentrations of the products used by professionals reach 43%. As you can see the dental whitening in the office is much stronger and the results will certainly be visible.
2) Individual impression trays
Whitening systems in the market specialized for teeth whitening at home contain prefabricated trays. Very rarely they have 100% contact with your teeth. On the contrary,trays used by dentists are made specifically for you,so that they have excellent contact with your teeth and the results will be much better.
3) Protection
Before beginning the process of bleaching,the dentist places a special gel to your gums,in order to protect them, or selects other protection methods for your soft tissues (cheeks, tongue, gums) that can come accidentally into contact with the whitening agent, capable to cause damage. Such protective measures are not included in the whitening kits for home usage.
4) Cost
As expected, teeth bleaching in the dental office costs more.
5) Supervision
The dentist will check your dental health and will explain the results of bleaching beforehand, according to your situation. We will recommend any treatments required before the procedure of teeth whitening to achieve the best possible results.
Athina Tsiorva