Teeth get stained and discolor with age, a fact we all must deal with. Fortunately, we live in a day where there are more teeth whitening options available than ever before for those who are looking to whiten their teeth and brighten their smile.

Among the most popular teeth whitening options are home use products like whitening toothpastes, strips, and gels. They are very inexpensive, and as long as your teeth are only mildly stained or discolored, will yield some good results.

The quality of the results you get from a teeth whitening product or treatment is largely dependent upon how severely discolored your teeth are. Low cost treatment options just won’t cut it in the more severe cases. In those cases you will probably have to investigate more expensive, professional procedures.

While costing less than professional whitening treatments, home whitening products are known to yield limited results at best. While they will provide some surface whitening to your teeth, they are unable to penetrate beneath the enamel and whiten the dentin underneath, where oftentimes there is significant discoloration.

Beyond just the removal of surface stains afforded by the most basic whitening products, professional tray bleaching is able to penetrate beyond the surface of the teeth and yield better results. In the bleaching procedure, a custom fitted tray filled with a peroxide whitening gel is fitted over the teeth. The gel breaks down and releases oxygen, which serves to whiten the teeth quite effectively.

This method works best on teeth that have yellowed over time. If your teeth are brown or gray instead, you will probably want to consider another treatment option.

Teeth whitening costs vary significantly from product to product and from procedure to procedure, ranging from a few dollars for whitening toothpaste, up to hundreds of dollars for laser teeth whitening treatment. While home teeth whitening is the least expensive option, it is also the least effective one. For this reason, those who can afford to do so will often opt for professional treatment.

Since your dentist will be using the strongest whitening agents available, as well as making use of the best technology, professional treatment carried out in his or her office will usually yield the most dramatic results. The cost can be a major hindrance, however, and cosmetic procedures are not usually covered by dental insurance.

Always speak to your dentist before deciding on a teeth whitening procedure. Find out all of your options and how likely each one is to be successful in your case. The best decision is an informed one, so get all the facts ahead of time.