I’ve been wanting to get my teeth whitened for some time. I just haven’t had a ton of money for it. I have this Groupon which says I can get my teeth whitened for $50. This sounds like a great deal. However, my co-worker, who had her teeth re-done keeps talking about how you have to be careful which dentist does your cosmetic work if you want it to turn out nicely. I just don’t want a disaster.
Elaine
Dear Elaine,
Your co-worker is correct that it is important to make sure the dentist is qualified to do the cosmetic work you want done. However, that is mostly in regard to top-of-the-line procedures, such as porcelain veneers. With a procedure such as teeth whitening, that can be done by any family dentist. It is quite straight forward. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about him getting it wrong.
However, you want to be careful of any fine print. Most dentists will at least require you get a thorough cleaning and checkup before doing the teeth whitening procedure. This is for your benefit, so the results don’t end up splotchy. Plus, you will want to make sure there aren’t any cavities developing.
Affording Dental Care You Want
It is always frustrating when there is something you want to do to improve your oral health and appearance but the money just isn’t there. It’s even more important when you have something urgent. like a cavity. You don’t want it to blow up into a dental emergency.
When there is a lot of work you need done, I suggest having the dentist list out everything in order from the most urgent to the least. The two of you can work out a plan that keeps all the work within your budget. Even then, sometimes you don’t have enough to get started. In those cases, dentists who believe in affordable dental care, will have a couple of options for you. Either they’ll have in-house payment plans and allow you to pay out the work on a schedule that works for you or they work through Care Credit. This is a medical credit service which offers low and no-interest payment plans.
Best of luck to you and enjoy your beautiful white teeth.
This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Raymond Bolt.