Teeth Whitening – Lincoln, NE
Professional Solutions
for Brighter Smiles
Do you want a whiter smile? Whether it’s for an important event, like a wedding, or simply because you’ve been struggling with dental discoloration for several months now, you’ll be happy to know that we can help! At our Lincoln dental office, we offer take-home teeth whitening kits, which are customized to each patient, deliver results in just two weeks, and can address even more considerable stains. To learn more about this popular cosmetic dentistry service, keep reading or reach out to us to schedule a consultation.
Why Choose Olberding Dental for Teeth Whitening?
- Highly Trained Dentist and Team
- Top-Rated Dental Office
- Flexible Dental Payment Options
Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
If you’re unhappy with your smile because of light, yellow stains, pigmented discoloration, or something in between, then you may be a candidate for teeth whitening! At your consultation with Dr. Olberding, you’ll have the chance to share your smile goals, and he will conduct an oral exam, pinpointing the cause of the discoloration in the process. From there, he can determine if teeth whitening is the best smile-enhancing service for you or if one of the other cosmetic dental treatments we offer is more ideal.
How Does Take-Home Teeth Whitening Work?
If you and Dr. Olberding decide that teeth whitening is the ideal treatment for you, then we will provide you with an estimate of the cost, answer any questions you have, and get to work on transforming your smile! That starts with taking molds of your gum line to create your custom-fitted mouthguards. Once your trays are ready for pick-up, we’ll instruct you on how to apply the whitening solution so you can complete the process of lifting stubborn stains at home. Typically, patients achieve the results they desire in about two weeks!
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
At Olberding Dental, we want you to experience long-lasting results. The good news is that the custom mouthguard is yours to keep and can be used in the future for touching up your whiter smile. Outside of that, we recommend adopting the following best practices to preserve your bright, beautiful results:
- Brushing your teeth each morning and evening
- Eating light-colored foods, like plain yogurt
- Using a straw when drinking coffee, soda, and wine
- Getting a dental checkup and teeth cleaning biannually
- Quitting smoking
Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening
If you’ve been dreaming of a brighter smile, teeth whitening offers a simple way to make your pearly whites truly gleam. However, the cost of whitening treatments concerns some patients causing them to rethink their treatment plan. At Olberding Dental, we offer customized at-home whitening that will help you achieve a brilliant smile without stretching your budget. Read more below to see what factors might affect your treatment costs and how our team can help make it more affordable.
Factors that Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening
The cost of teeth whitening isn’t one-size-fits-all. Just like every smile is different, no two whitening treatments are the same. At your whitening consultation, Dr. Olberding will assess your smile and give you a cost estimate based on factors such as:
- The Severity of Your Discoloration: Deep or persistent stains may require additional treatments.
- The Type of Stains: Different types of stains (such as surface vs. deep or age-related) respond differently to whitening, affecting your treatment time and the cost by extension.
- Your Pre-Treatment Needs: Whitening treatments shouldn’t be performed on unhealthy teeth with decay or gum disease. So, if other dental treatments like fillings or crowns are needed before whitening, it will affect the overall price of your whitening.
Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?
Teeth whitening costs can vary widely depending on the type you choose. Here’s a general idea of some different methods and what you could expect to spend:
- Whitening Strips or Gels: These can be found in stores for $20-$40 per box, providing a budget-friendly, though less effective, option.
- Over-the-Counter Whitening Trays: Non-custom trays can cost under $100 at pharmacies and big box stores. However, they don’t often provide the same level of comfort or effectiveness as professional treatments.
- In-Office Whitening: Some dental practices offer in-office treatments that can erase stains quickly. However, this generally costs between $400 and $800. In rare cases, it could even exceed $1,000!
- Take-Home Whitening Kits: The whitening method we choose to offer our patients comes in the form of professional take-home kits. These cost a few hundred dollars but will allow you to effectively whiten your teeth at home with professional-grade results over a few weeks.
Fast Teeth Whitening VS Inexpensive Teeth Whitening
When choosing a whitening method, it’s important to weigh speed against cost. Professional whitening options tend to be pricier but produce results quickly and are designed to lighten teeth far more effectively and safely than budget-friendly options.
Using strips and gels may be cheaper, but they need more time to work and may erode tooth enamel with repeated use. So, when choosing the right path for your whiter smile, it’s best to consider both your desired outcome and how quickly you’d like results.
Options For Making Teeth Whitening Affordable
Teeth whitening is considered cosmetic, so it's typically not covered by insurance. This is one of the reasons why whitening treatments may seem expensive. Here’s how we try to break down the cost to make it more affordable:
- CareCredit Financing: Spread the cost of whitening over manageable payments.
- In-House Membership Plan (Care Connect): Our Care Connect plan is an alternative to dental insurance that offers discounts on many treatments. This can make it easier to maintain your smile within your budget.
Our team is happy to discuss these options with you and help you find the best way to achieve the bright, beautiful smile you deserve. So, schedule a consultation today to learn more about our whitening services and how we can help your smile succeed!
Schedule Your Consultation Today
If you are searching for a great dentist to assist you in your whitening goals, call us to schedule your consultation. Whether you want to address minor stains or pigmented discoloration, you can count on us to provide service that exceeds your expectations. So, don’t hesitate to schedule your appointment – we’re looking forward to serving you!
Teeth Whitening FAQs
When Should I Start Whitening My Teeth for a Special Event?
If you have a special event on the horizon – whether it’s a family reunion, an important job interview, or your wedding – it’s important that you schedule a consultation as soon as possible. After all, the teeth whitening treatment may only take a few weeks, but we might not be able to start right away. For example, if we find an infection in your gums during the initial exam, we need to treat it before we can shift our focus to lifting stubborn stains. Plus, we want to leave time for multiple whitening treatments (if that’s needed).
Is There Anything I Can’t Eat After Whitening My Teeth?
There are definitely certain foods we recommend avoiding, including blackberries and tomato soup. You also shouldn’t eat anything extremely chewy, like gummy worms, since they cling to your teeth and are difficult to remove. Instead, eat bananas, oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, white fish, and other light-colored foods that are packed with essential vitamins and nutrients.
Can I Drink Coffee After Whitening My Teeth?
Immediately after your teeth whitening treatment, you should avoid all dark-colored beverages, including coffee. That way, stubborn stains don’t quickly resurface, wasting your valuable time and money in the process. Instead, drink lots of water. Not only will this help you stay hydrated, but it will also remove residue from your mouth, which prevents dental discoloration.
Tip: If you do drink coffee, use a straw! When you’re done, rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean water to remove any lingering residue. Then, about 20 minutes later, brush your teeth.
Do the Results of Teeth Whitening Last Forever?
Sadly, the results of your teeth whitening treatment won’t last forever. That said, they will last for 6+ months if you adopt good habits. A few examples include brushing your teeth twice a day, coming to our office every six months for a checkup and cleaning, and keeping dark-colored foods and drinks to a minimum. It’s also crucial that you break bad habits, like smoking and drinking coffee without a straw.
How Can I Make the Cost of Teeth Whitening More Affordable?
Since dental insurance providers don’t typically cover the cost of teeth whitening treatments, many patients assume that this cosmetic dental service is too expensive for them. In reality, there are other financial solutions available! The best thing to do is come to our office for a consultation. That way, we can determine if any preliminary treatments are needed and how many rounds of teeth whitening you need. Then, we can create your custom plan, provide you with an estimate of the cost, and share how you can make that number fit into your budget. For example, CareCredit is a trusted third-party financier that offers payment plans so you don’t have to pay for the entire cost in one lump sum. Instead, you can break it up into smaller, monthly chunks that work for you.