In Reply to: teeth posted by mostwanted on Tuesday, 5. September 2006 at 07:31 Bali Time:
As a dental nurse for many years may I suggest a bleaching kit (impression trays) rather than all the instantaneous treatments being offered.
The technique I am trying to describe is where the dentist would take impressions, to then make up bleaching trays (which look similar to a thin mouth-guard) that are personally fitted to your teeth and gums.
Such a bleaching kit usually come with enough bleach for several applications and you can then buy refills and use it whenever you want to rather than a just having an expensive, one-off treatment.
Eg. re-apply every few months if teeth darken again, (especially useful if you are a smoker, tea, coffee or red wine drinker).
Just put a tiny drop of bleach (that usually comes in an syringe type applicator) into the trays, on the parts where the teeth that show, ie. your front teeth ... and then pop the trays in your mouth for half to one hour.
(there are also gentler bleaches, that you can wear overnight)
Other advantages are that you can monitor and control not only the whiteness of your teeth (as we don't all want to look like Farrah :)and as some peoples teeth are very sensitive to the bleaching process, there is a chance you can be left feeling for a few days, as if you are having your teeth pulled out.
Dentists who buy into this 'Zoom' and other instaneous process's, do so at great expense and naturally they want to recoup their investment.
In Sydney where I work, the price is about $480 AUS for the kit I am suggesting.
I use this method and swear by it. Sorry don't know if they do it in Bali, but think it would be worth checking into as no doubt, it would be much more affordable if the trays were made up in Bali.
If you needed to buy the bleach (or refills) in Australia, you could ask your dentist to order some in for you. Two syringes of the bleach (enough for several applications) which would gradually (instead of instaneously) get your teeth to a very nice shade, should retail for about $50.