With new, inexpensive options for tooth whitening, you can improve your self-esteem without emptying your wallet.

Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. Yellow or brown teeth are not the best first impression you want to make. Teeth can become discolored for a number of reasons, the most common being tobacco, coffee, tea, berries, and the natural accumulation of tartar over time. The tooth may also be internally discolored by aging, injury, excessive fluoride, and by certain illnesses and medicines. Although discoloration is natural over time, you can have your teeth whitened safely and professionally for a lot less money than you might expect.

Teeth can be whitened in two ways. A patient can have his or her teeth whitened with Zoom™ Whitening, a whitening treatment that uses laser-light activated whitening gel in a comfortable cosmetic dentistry office. Alternatively, they may choose to whiten their teeth at home with a tooth whitening tray system that uses a whitening chemical, which seeps through your enamel and whitens the tooth itself.

An in-house whitening procedure usually takes between 60 to 90 minutes per visit. The number of visits depends on the degree of discoloration and the patient's desired outcome. With the take home system, the cosmetic dentist makes an impression for a model of the patient's teeth. The dentist then fabricates a custom-fitted bleaching tray and prescribes a bleaching gel. The gel is placed in the bleaching tray and the patient wears the tray for up to two hours at his or her own convenience.

"Tooth whitening can have dramatic affects on your appearance, as well as giving your self-esteem a big boost," says Dr. O'Neil, a cosmetic dentist in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. "Tooth whitening is safe, convenient, and can change the overall appearance of your smile in a matter of hours."