By Zenaida Serrano
Advertiser Staff Writer
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There was no hiding Les Taki's caffeine cravings. His smile made it quite clear.
So the Salt Lake resident decided last year to drop a couple hundred dollars to transform his coffee-stained grin into a radiant, pearly smile.
"It was well worth it," said Taki, 38, general manager of a records storage company. "People that I worked with on a day-to-day basis noticed. ... I'm more comfortable (smiling) and more confident."
Taki is part of a trend. An American Dental Association survey released last year ranked teeth whitening as the most-requested procedure by patients 40 to 60 years old, according to dentists nationwide.
But the procedure has proved popular among all ages, not just baby boomers, thanks to makeover shows and late-night infomercials convincing viewers that whiter is better, said Dr. Russell H. Masunaga, dentist and former president of the Hawaii Dental Association.
"It's just that sort of entertainment aspect of it," Masunaga said, "and people wanting to emulate the stars and look like Julia Roberts or Brad Pitt."
Teeth-whitening methods can range from a few dollars for an over-the-counter whitening toothpaste to up to $500 for in-office bleaching procedures. (See chart.)
Taki chose to go with a home tray system, which required him to wear a plastic mold of his teeth with a whitening gel. He did this one hour each day for a week.
"It made a big difference," said Taki, whose teeth lightened several shades after the treatment.
But before shelling out cash for a whitening treatment, talk to a professional, said Masunaga, who is also director of the association's Dental Samaritans, a group of local dentists who volunteer their services to provide care to people in need.
"You definitely want to start by asking a dentist," he said.
These are some things to consider:
IN-OFFICE BLEACHING
Price: $200-$500* per treatment, which includes one to three visits
How it works: In this chair-side procedure, a bleaching agent is applied to the teeth and light or laser is used to activate the whitening agent. The procedure may require more than one office visit, each of which may take from 30 minutes to one hour.
Pros: It is fast. A patient's teeth can whiten up to three to five shades after just one visit.
Cons: It is the most expensive method. Also, to retain the whiteness, the procedure has to be supported by a home tray whitening system, which may be an additional cost.
HOME TRAY SYSTEMS
PRICE: $100-$500*
How it works: This system involves a couple of office visits to make a customized mouth tray. A patient wears the tray filled with a bleaching agent. Regimens vary; some products are used twice a day for two weeks, and others are intended for overnight use for one to two weeks. While mouth tray systems may be purchased online, keep in mind only dentist-dispensed home-use peroxides or gels carry the American Dental Association seal.
Pros: This method is effective and typically not as costly as in-office bleaching.
Cons: Routinely using the mouth tray takes commitment. Also, the gels can be gummy and artificial-tasting.
OVER-THE-COUNTER WHITENING PRODUCTS
(Including toothpastes, mouth rinses, strips or "paint on" products)
PRICE: FROM A FEW DOLLARS TO UP TO $50
How it works: These products use mild abrasives or extremely diluted peroxide solutions to remove surface stains. These methods will work best on very mild forms of discoloration; the younger and less yellow the teeth, the better.
Pros: They're inexpensive.
Cons: If you have darker stains because of internal or developmental reasons, over-the-counter products may not work.
* Fees are set by dentists and may vary from office to office.
Source: Dr. Russell H. Masunaga, dentist and former president of the Hawaii Dental Association
Popular dental treatments can range from a few bucks to $500
Consider pros and cons of teeth-whitening methods
Reach Zenaida Serrano at zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com.
