|
 By Amy Diluna
Daily News
May 23, 2002
Used to be, if you brushed and flossed, you were way ahead of the smile curve. Today, it's a lot more complicated. There's a dizzying array of ways to whiten your teeth, many with an unattractive price tag.
Regardless of the cost, tons of New Yorkers are biting - some, over and over again. "We call them bleachaholics," says Dr. Jeff Golub-Evans, a cosmetic dentist and owner of the Smile Oasis on E. 71st St., about the women who return three or four times a year to his "spa."
But despite the glitz and glimmer of even the swankiest dental spas, there are no guarantees. Gray stains, for example, especially those from the drug tetracycline, are impossible to remove. And some teeth, gray or not, will never be white. "Bleaching is not very predictable," says Dr. John Calamia, a professor and director of esthetics in operative dentistry at the New York University Dental Center. "Some teeth are thicker than others and permeability is different."
Worse yet, if teeth are weak, the procedure could actually harm them. "I reject about 15% of patients," says Golub-Evans. "Not everybody is a candidate." And unless you can prove that a nondazzling smile is hazardous to your health, insurance won't pay.
Whitening toothpastes and chewing gums can help to remove a small amount of stains, but teeth won't get that dazzling shade unless you make a serious bleaching effort.
Here's what you can expect for your money. But keep in mind that once your teeth are whitened, they can be stained again in a matter of months by nicotine, coffee, tea and red wine.
PEROXIDE WITH A PURPOSE
Pros: Trays containing a peroxide solution and fitted to your mouth by your dentist are safe and inexpensive, and the doctor can control how white your teeth get. Some practitioners, like Calamia, bleach with trays while you sit in the office for about an hour. The ones you take home must be worn overnight or for a couple of hours a day for a week or longer, depending on your stains. They do the same thing as an in-office tray, only with a weaker solution so that leaked bleach won't harm your gums.
Cons: Do you trust your self-discipline? Since it's up to you to wear the tray regularly, "most of the time, compliance is a problem," says Golub-Evans.
Cost: $200-plus for office bleaching and $300-plus for a 21-day supply of home bleach.
LIGHTS 'N' LASERS
Pros: Administered by dentists, lamps and lasers are, for the most part, quick and safe. A laser or light from a lamp activates the whitening material.
Most dentists' offices are equipped with laser machines; Golub-Evans uses a lamp called "Zoom!"
Cons: Not many. Occasionally, if the bleaching material comes in contact with gums, it can sting. The dentist will flush it out, however, and within a few minutes it goes away. In general, neither hurts, though teeth could be sensitive for a few days.
Cost: $500-plus for one visit, which is usually sufficient.
 THE COVERUP
Pros: Porcelain or composite (resin and ceramic) veneers, which are bonded directly to your teeth, are the perfect solution for teeth that cannot be bleached. A composite veneer lasts about five years, while porcelain, a relatively new technique, has been shown to last for more than 20, so far.
Cons: Porcelain veneers will cost you as much as a car, though they'll be around longer. As Dr. Lana Rozenberg, owner of a dental day spa on W 54th St., points out, "These are permanent. You can't change your mind once you've had them done." Porcelain won't ever stain, but composite veneers, which are reversible, need to be maintained with cleaning every six months or so. Composite veneers can be done in one sitting (porcelain veneers must be fitted, then made in a laboratory), and cost about half as much as a porcelain job.
Cost: $500-plus for porcelain, about $250-plus for composite, per tooth.
CHEAP TRICK
Pros: Crest Whitestrips are the cheapest whitening solution and the most popular home option, but not as effective as laser or peroxide treatments. Your dentist can prescribe Crest strips in a stronger and pricier (around $75) form. You stick the Whitestrips onto your teeth for about 45 minutes, then remove them and brush off the excess material.
Cons: Whitestrips can slip, reducing effectiveness. And very few at-home methods have been approved yet by the American Dental Association, points out Dr. Kimberly Harms, consumer adviser for the ADA.
Cost: $44 (over the counter) to $75 (from your dentist) for one box of Whitestrips.
|
