The Thicker the Gel the Better: When it comes to laser whitening, the thicker the gel the better. It helps control the bleaching process so that it doesn’t actually destroy the tooth itself and instead simply whitens the enamel and whatnot when the dentist points that laser over your teeth during your laser teeth whitening procedure. All modern or cutting-edge teeth whitening services have this thicker gel that manages the bleaching process better. The thickness of the gel helps control the concentration of the bleach.

The Composition of the Gel Itself: Apparently, the gel that’s applied to your teeth in laser whitening has a higher concentration of bleach compared to the one used in bleaching tray whitening. It’s specifically composed of 25% hydrogen peroxide plus other chemicals, thus necessitating the use of a dental dam to protect your mouth and gums from getting chemical burns. It’s this cocktail of chemicals that allows whitening to come about and the laser light merely activates the chemicals to hasten the bleaching process.

The Laser Light Is Faster: The bleaching gel is usually enough to get your teeth whitened. Just leave it on there like all your whites (that is, white laundry) soaked in bleach overnight and you should get prime results. However, it’s faster to shine a laser pen light (or rather, an ultraviolet pen light) for its heat and light to activate the gel’s bleaching capabilities than to leave the gel on your teeth for an extended period of time because it produces instant results. The UV light increases the reaction rate of the bleach, but the pen light is usually waved around by the doctor to avoid excessive heat that could damage the teeth.

The Advantages of Laser Whitening Over Other Techniques

There are many advantages you can get from teeth whitening in the cosmetic sense. However, how does the laser teeth whitening procedure fare against other cheaper or more affordable techniques out there?

Home Solutions

Whitening Strips: You can buy over-the-counter whitening strips at your nearest grocery or drugstore. They’re even more effective than whitening toothpaste because it’s a bleaching home system. Whitening strips work by peeling the strip, applying it on the surface of the tooth, and then removing it before rinsing. It also contains peroxide bleach, just like in the case of laser whitening procedures. The difference here is that you need to use these strips for a longer period of time.

In regards to how it stacks up to laser whitening, each has their own pros and cons. Laser whitening is much faster, uses a higher concentration of peroxide bleach in gel form, and uses a dental dam exactly because of how much bleach is being used. It also whitens in terms of the laser,  increasing the reaction rate of the bleach.

Solutions Available Through the Dentist Office

Bleaching Trays and Gels: With bleaching trays, you will get molds made in-office and the resulting trays you’re supposed to take home and apply into your mouth yourself with the accompanying bleaching gel. So it’s a mix between in-office and home-use solution.

You can’t buy a bleaching tray over-the-counter because you’re required to give a mold of your mouth and teeth first (the bleaching tray is custom-fit). It doesn’t use UV rays. It has lower concentrations of peroxide. It gradually whitens your teeth to a better shade of white. However, it’s not as fast as laser whitening (which requires one visit at the dentist chair at most, taking about two hours).