There are many whitening options out there.  First off let me say all of them work.  However, there are differences.  Many over the counter products have less percentage of the "bleach", so it might take more time and perhaps money to get where you want to be.  The strips are a one size fits all which in some people work well and in others don't.  If the strips don't fit well they may cause a lot of gum irritation and inflammation.  The positives are they are easy and sometimes more cost effective depending on the stains or changes you are trying to achieve.   


We offer two bleaching options in our office.  We call it our Bright for Life program.  I most commonly recommend people who would like to whiten use the custom bleaching trays with an appropriate level of bleach concentration for their particular situation.  The advantages are you can go as long as you like in order to get the results you are seeking  usually this is achieved by wearing the trays for an hour a day for one or two weeks (alternatively a person may choose to sleep in the trays all through the night).  Since they are custom made you can still bleach crowded teeth and the gums are much less likely to become irritated. As part of our Bright for Life bleaching every time you come to get a cleaning you get a FREE refill of bleach to remove any stains you may have had in the last six months!   It would not take long on this program to far surpass the cost savings of using an over the counter method.  The other bleaching service in our Bright for Life program is a "power" bleach that also comes with touch up trays and FREE bleach for Life.   The "power" method has the advantage of time, in one hour you come out with impressive results.   This would be good for something like an up coming wedding.  Also, for those that can't stand trays in your mouth this is a possible alternative.  The draw backs to this method for younger people 20-30 there is a good chance you would experience some transient tooth sensitivity anywhere from an extra cool sensation like a mint, to painful cold sensitivity.  This is a possible side effect of any bleaching method; factors of sensitivity include age, concentration of bleach, bleaching method, type of bleach, etc.  We use a bleach and bleaching method that reduces your chances for sensitivity because it contains fluoride and potassium nitrate (same ingredients in desensitizing toothpastes i.e. sensodyne).  Also, there is no high powered light that seems to increase sensitivity while not gaining extra whitening results.  In fact none of my patients to date have reported painful sensitivity with either method we employ.  Please call us or email us with any questions.