How does tooth whitening work? Common for all products and methods is that they apply hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to your tooth that brightens it up. Even the dentists don't know exactly how it works but they say it's safe, doesn't harm and the only side effect is increased sensitivity which should go away within 24 hours.

The difference lies in the peroxide concentration. The higher the concentration the stronger the bleaching effect. But stronger is not necessarily better because very white teeth look unnatural. That's one of the reasons why the cheap over-the-counter bleaching sets you can buy in your local drugstore only contain a low concentration of the bleaching ingredient. They are less effective and you have to use them often to see a difference.

It's by far more effective, therefore, to go to your cosmetic dentist. He has products with much higher peroxide concentration like Britesmile or Zoom and he knows how to use them efficiently to get faster results. You can choose between a custom-made tray for home use or the power bleaching treatment in the praxis. The tray is cheaper and works as well as the power bleaching but you must use the tray for several days for about two hours a day.

The power bleaching is done immediately and results are instant as well. After protecting your gum from the peroxide, the cosmetic dentist puts the bleaching gel onto your teeth. Often laser or ultra violet light is used to increase the power of the gel. After one or two hours you are done and your teeth are several shades whiter.

Don't get disappointed when your teeth are not getting much whiter. There is no guarantee that it works, especially gray teeth or teeth which got colored by an injury; they are not whitening well. But you can expect good results for yellow teeth or teeth which became stained by smoking, drinking, food or coffee.

How much is it? While the power bleaching can cost up to $1000, the tray is about half the price. Unfortunately, dental cosmetic procedures are not covered by your insurance. But it can get even more expensive. Dentists say that many bleaching patients sooner or later move over to porcelain veneers for longer lasting and perfect white teeth. Dental porcelain veneers are up to $1200. Per tooth. But if you want a smile like a movie star then you won't look at the price.