New Dental Whitening App Released

New Dental App Released

 

Apple released a new app last week, called Instant Teeth Whitener, available for iPhone, iPod Touch & iPad devices.  Created by SmileRank Technologies, LLC, this application claims to be the world’s fastest and most natural way to see what you would look like with whiter teeth. 

The application uses photographic technology to detect a person’s smile & allows you to use a slider bar to increase the level of whiteness, in a matter of seconds.  It allows you to compare the before picture with the after picture side-by-side, save the enhanced image & even share it via Facebook or email.

Yes, photo technology apps can be lots of fun, but why not pursue the real deal?  If you only care about how you look in photos, then purchase the app & stop here…but if your image beyond pictures is of interest, then let’s continue and pursue the options.

In today’s day & age, teeth whitening procedures are fairly common, and as long as they are not abused, they can provide a range of results.  There are 3 main types of teeth whitening procedures on the market today & we will order them according to effectiveness & long-term investment, starting with the least effective & least investment..

1)      Over-the-counter:  These products come in an assortment of slimy strips to generic trays. 

a.       Advantage: 

·        Lowest cost. 

·        Fairly safe to use for most adults & teenagers

b.      Disadvantage: 

·        Product strength is not as strong

·        Can do damage to teeth if product directions are abused.

2)      Custom Trays:  This product can only be provided by a dental professional.  After a complete examination by a dentist to ensure only healthy teeth are present (if teeth are unhealthy, whitening products can cause damage and/or pain to occur during wear), impressions are made.  An appliance for the upper teeth, and one for the lower teeth are then made.  These trays closely fit to the teeth, ensuring the whitening product will remain on the teeth for the recommended amount of time.

a.       Advantage:

·        Better results due to custom fit of trays

·        Greater product strength means less wear time (~3mins)

·        Appliance can be kept for years

b.      Disadvantage

·        More expensive than over-the-counter products

·        Product strength may cause sensitivity

3)      In-Office Whitening:  This procedure begins by painting a strong whitening material on the teeth, & in conjunction with a special light, jump starts the whitening process in ~1hr.  Most dental offices also provide custom trays for you to leave with.

a.       Advantage:

·        Best results due to jump start

·        Instant gratification

b.      Disadvantage:

·        Most expensive

·        Product strength may cause sensitivity

If you like gadgets & are interested in whitening your teeth, download the app to see what your possible results would be.  If you are serious about whitening your teeth, contact your dental professional to discuss your best whitening option(s).  Options today go beyond the 3 types of whitening procedures mentioned above, so contact a professional today.