DENTAL CARE-TEETH WHTENING FOR YOU

Is Teeth Whitening For You?

You see them in magazines. They gleam at you on television and movies. We're talking about perfect teeth, and all of the pretty people seem to have them. Where does that leave the rest of us, with out graying, coffee-stained, crooked chops? For some of us, the need for tooth whitening leads to the dentist and his assortment of teeth whitening procedures.

You have to give dentists credit. Tooth whitening procedures are a modern miracle of medicine. Up until only a few years ago, teeth whitening was nearly impossible for everyday people, let alone the stars. But just in the last ten years or so, dentists and chemists have come up with a range of new compounds and techniques that make teeth whitening somewhat affordable.

The end result of this technological improvement is the chance to have perfectly ivory teeth that are stronger than your originals, as well as resistant to future stains.

Sounds too good to be true, right? If you remember, I said that teeth whitening was somewhat affordable. That's because cost is relative. For top-notch porcelain tooth whitening veneers, for instance, you could be looking at a bill of $400 to $1500 - per tooth! For many people, health insurance won't cover these cosmetic procedures, leaving the total cost at your feet.

Another thing to consider about teeth whitening is that it's not permanent. Even the best tooth whitening veneers last merely 10 to 15 years. That doesn't sound like a bad proposition if you're 70, but for a 30 year old that means a lot.

Still, tooth whitening does work. It can create a smile that shines and impresses. Unlike many other cosmetic procedures - such as breast augmentation or plastic surgery - teeth whitening procedures are low risk. You most likely don't have to worry about side effects or complications afterward. That is, there are not side effects unless you consider a hole in your wallet one.