Everyone wants a dazzling white smile- it’s a sign of health and beauty. But which is the best way to achieve that? There are many modalities to achieve a whiter smile. One may not be better than another but the question of time and money are the biggest factors. I have had the fortune of trying all of the modalities. I can honestly say that they all achieve a whiter “bleached out” smile.

ZOOM! Teeth Whitening

The first and most expensive is ZOOM! Teeth Whitening or in office bleaching. A dental professional applies a strong amount of bleach to the teeth and a blue light activates the bleach on the teeth. It can make the teeth eight shades whiter, which can be great! It takes about 45 minutes for the bleaching time but there is extra time to safely protect the gum tissue. The best thing about ZOOM! is that it is a fast process and the teeth will stay whiter longer.

Teeth Whitening Trays

The next modality is at home teeth whitening trays. The trays are a soft plastic that fit around just the teeth. A small amount of bleach is applied to the wells of each tooth in the tray and then placed in the mouth. There are different strengths of bleach to use at home, but normally the trays are worn for only 30 minutes or 60 minutes. In about two weeks of use, the teeth can achieve a six shade improvement. The best thing about at home teeth whitening trays is that you can control the amount of use. If you happen to have sensitivity one week in, you can stop, and if you are happy with the shade, then you are done. The other great thing is that you can do touch up bleaching whenever you feel like it.

Teeth Whitening Strips

Teeth whitening strips or gel is a good way to bleach the teeth when you are low on cash. They are sold over the counter and can run between $20-$40. They are applied over the upper and lower teeth and are worn for an hour. The best thing about the teeth whitening strips is their cost. You will achieve a whiter smile but it takes some time and energy. The strips have the least amount of bleach and can get a bit messy. Most people do not like to use them because they slip around and do not stay in place for the full hour. Usually the teeth will get about 3-4 shades lighter.

Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

Finally, “whitening” toothpaste is a tricky modality. It says “whitening” but in fact it does not bleach the teeth. Instead, it has an abrasive quality that removes debris from the teeth well, which in turn can appear whiter.

Bleaching is a great way to make the teeth white. There are so many great teeth whitening options to chose from. As always, white teeth look nice, but having a healthy smile is really what’s best!

Before hitting the yellow pages or searching for a San Francisco dentist online there are a few criteria you should be wary of.

Reputation

All dentists, as with any profession, were not created equal but you will be glad to know that the general level of technical capability of San Francisco dentists is quite high for the most part. Searching for dentist reviews online can help as can word of mouth from a friend but remember that it can be difficult for a layman to tell the difference between good, bad and average. Professional referral is a slightly better gauge as a dentist will know a good, bad or average dentist.

Facilities

Did you know there are tools to get rid of or reduce that gagging feeling, or a machine that can build a dental implant immediately on site removing the need for multiple visits or that there is a shot that halves the time you have that numb feeling after you visit? Well, there are and not all San Francisco dentists have all. Some people have such levels of fear when visiting the dentist that full or partial sedation is a definite need – not all San Francisco dentists do this, but some do. If you have an idea of what work you will be doing, ask about the appropriate equipment the dentist will be using or ask him what is available to combat any concerns you might be harboring.

Cost

Depending on the procedure the cost of a visit to the dentist in San Francisco can become somewhat expensive. Factors that determine cost will be primarily reputation or experience, equipment (he has to pay for the machines some way), location (San Francisco rent is not cheap) and of course the procedure being delivered.

Insurance

For most, dental insurance is quite basic so if you are getting more than a check-up or a filling, do not bank on insurance protecting your wallet. I am including this here so sticker shock is somewhat reduced if you are seeking something like cosmetic dentistry.

Convenience

In some cases, you may be required to make multiple visits in a short amount of time so thinking with location, parking and even traffic may be an important factor. What is the point of driving to a cheap part of San Francisco (if there is one) to save a couple of hundred dollars when the time to get off work, drive and park negates that saving.

So there you go. Don’t worry, your odds are good. We at Doctorbase would like to humbly offer our listings of quality dentists in San Francisco as they have been checked for reviews and facilities with many having peer reviews too. They wouldn’t be on our listings if they had a bunch of bad reviews. If you choose not to, you obviously know how to use Google – you found us – so good luck.

E-mail the author with a question, seriously I don’t mind, it’s what i’m here for. If I don’t know the answer, I know a lot of dentists, I’ll get you an answer.

Dentistry has undergone many technological advances over the past few years to remedy many of the discomforts and annoyances inherent in the activity. Dentists these days have huge options of equipment, tools and drugs to better improve the dental patient experience.

Long gone are the days of foot powered drilling.

Here, as an example, are some tools now available to today’s dentist to remedy certain less popular experiences in the dental chair…

Negative Effect: Metal Mouth – Fix: Invisible Braces

The powerful image of a mouthful of metal may not be the most aesthetic image, so new technologies such as Invisalign® offer a remedy to this image and comfort issue.

Negative Effect: Dentures – Fix: Oral Implants

A way to replace a missing tooth from gum disease or from accidents is with “fake” teeth. Dental implants look and feel like normal teeth, but cost more than dentures. Implants look very natural and are stable like real teeth as they are “fused” to your bone with screws. Implants often require multiple office visits.

Negative Effect: Gagging – Fix: Isolite®

Like a “flashlight for your mouth,” the IsoLite® mouth irrigation & lighting system was one of the most popular hits of the CDA (California Dental Association) Show of 2009. A clear plastic apparatus replaces the traditional array of hoses & nozzles within the patient’s mouth, forcing their tongue to the side in a comfortable manner yet in a way which allows the dentist to see the inside of a patients mouth more clearly and easily.

Negative Effect: Off Colored Teeth – Fix: Zoom! Teeth Whitening®

A popular teeth whitening system available only from dentists, Zoom!® was featured on the popular ABC show “Extreme Makeover” and its popularity has surged in recent years. Other popular teeth whitening systems include Pola®, Beyond®, Sapphire®, LaserSmile® and Rembrandt®; however, it should be noted that no whitening system can take gray teeth to an ultra-white. There is also some controversy in the dental community as to whether the added light (used as an addition to Zoom!) actually improves the efficiency of any teeth whitening system.

Negative Effect: Numbness – Fix: Oraverse®

Oraverse® is a new product that will reduce that numbness feeling after your procedure. The average time spent waiting for numb gums and cheek to go away is reduced by half. Handy if you are getting dental work during lunch break.

These are just a few of the new tools available to the modern dentist. When evaluating your dentist, make sure to check on the technology in the practice. This may be a deciding factor that reduces the discomfort and increases the pleasure of a trip to the dentist chair.