Drugstore strips bleach unevenly and can leave teeth raw. Professional whitening is different. Supervised by Dr. Aakash Rana with dentist-grade gels and custom-fit trays for an even, lasting result that protects your enamel.
From $299 professional whitening
There's no single right way to brighten a smile. Dr. Rana matches the method to your teeth, your timeline and your sensitivity, so the result looks natural and feels comfortable.
A powerful, dentist-supervised treatment that brightens several shades in a single visit, evenly and safely.
Trays molded to your exact bite with professional gel, so you whiten gradually and comfortably at home.
Kick-start in our studio, then maintain and deepen the result at home. The best of both worlds.
Wedding, photos or a big day coming up? A focused session to look your brightest right on time.
A gentler protocol with desensitizing steps for teeth that usually react to drugstore whiteners.
Simple refills and occasional top-ups that keep your smile bright for the long run.
Tap to watch. Individual results vary.
3050 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 703, Edgewater
Drugstore strips and kits are one-size-fits-all. Professional whitening is planned for your mouth, and that's what makes it even, lasting and kind to your enamel.
Professional gels brighten further and more uniformly than strips, with no patchy spots or missed edges.
Trays molded to your bite keep gel where it belongs, on your teeth, not your gums, for comfort and accuracy.
Dr. Rana supervises the whole process with desensitizing steps, so your enamel stays protected.
Higher-quality, carefully dosed whitening agents you simply can't buy off a shelf.
We check your starting shade, talk through your goal, and choose the right whitening plan, no cost, no pressure.
A quick polish removes surface stains so the whitening works evenly across every tooth.
Your in-office treatment, applied and supervised by Dr. Rana for safe, even brightening.
You leave with custom trays and a simple plan to deepen and keep your results bright.
I trained at NYU and have invested over $100,000 in continuing education so my patients get current, gentle, honest care. With whitening, the goal is simple. A brighter, natural-looking smile that protects your enamel and lasts. I supervise every plan personally, and I'm bringing that standard home to Miami.
A starting price so you can plan with confidence. Your exact price is confirmed in writing before any treatment, and 0% financing is available.
A brighter smile shouldn't wait for your budget. We offer 0% financing options on approved credit through CareCredit, Cherry and LendingClub.
Your free first visit (exam, 3D scan and smile preview) includes a shade check and a look at your financing options, with zero obligation.
Professional whitening at Prana starts around $299. We give you clear, written pricing before anything begins, and 0% financing is available for anything not covered.
Most patients see several shades of even brightening. At your free consult we check your starting shade and set a realistic, natural-looking goal for your teeth.
Because treatment is supervised by Dr. Rana with dentist-grade gels and desensitizing steps, most patients have little to no sensitivity. We also offer a sensitivity-friendly plan.
With custom take-home trays for occasional touch-ups and good habits, results can last a long time. We'll build a simple maintenance plan so your smile stays bright.
Yes. Dentist-supervised whitening with professional gels and custom-fit trays is designed to protect your enamel. Far safer than one-size-fits-all drugstore strips.
Whitening only changes natural teeth, not veneers or crowns. We'll plan your shade carefully so your natural teeth and any restorations stay beautifully matched.
Teeth whitening works best on natural, healthy tooth enamel, so it isn't always the very first step. If you have untreated cavities, gum disease or built-up tartar, that gets addressed first, often as simply as a teeth cleaning and exam, so the whitening gel can work evenly once your mouth is healthy. Most adults with generally healthy teeth and gums are good candidates, and your free consult is where Dr. Rana confirms that's the case for you before any whitening plan is scheduled.
Results vary from person to person. Some teeth brighten more dramatically than others depending on their starting shade and the type of staining involved, and Dr. Rana will give you a realistic idea of what to expect at your free consult rather than promising a set number of shades. Some sensitivity is common with any whitening treatment, but it's manageable. The process is supervised so gel stays off your gums, and a desensitizing step is built in for anyone whose teeth tend to react.
One thing teeth whitening can't do is change the color of crowns, veneers or fillings, since it only works on natural enamel. If your smile includes any restorations, mention that at your consult so your plan accounts for it, whether that means whitening your natural teeth to match, or looking at veneers or the fuller range of cosmetic dentistry options for a more uniform result. Either way, nothing is scheduled without a written plan and price first, so you know exactly what you're getting before you commit.
All three rely on a peroxide gel that breaks down stain molecules inside the enamel. What changes is the strength of the gel, how well it fits your teeth, who is watching, and how quickly you see a difference.
| In-office whitening | Custom take-home trays | Store-bought strips and kits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who applies it | Done in the chair, with your gums shielded first | You, at home, after we show you how | You, following the box |
| Gel strength | Highest, used only under supervision | Professional, gentler than in-office | Lower, made for unsupervised use |
| Fit | Gel placed tooth by tooth | Trays shaped to your own teeth | One-size strips or generic trays |
| Speed | A visible change in one appointment | Gradual, over roughly a couple of weeks | Gradual, and often patchy near the gums |
| Suits | An upcoming event, or a head start | Steady change, sensitive teeth, later touch-ups | Mild surface stain on healthy teeth |
| Checked first? | Yes: cavities, gums and existing restorations | Yes, the same exam | No |
Store-bought products aren't useless. On mild stain and healthy teeth they can help a little. The catch is that nobody looks first for a cavity, a leaking filling or a receded gumline, any of which can make whitening sting, and flat strips tend to miss the curves near the gum and between teeth. Our post on professional vs store-bought whitening goes into more detail, and this one on home remedies explains why some popular hacks, such as scrubbing with abrasive powders, can wear enamel.
Whitening only lightens natural tooth structure. In a few situations a different plan, or a different order of steps, makes more sense:
Peroxide passes through the enamel to reach stains, and on the way it can briefly irritate the nerve inside the tooth. That is why some people feel short, sharp zings during treatment or for a day or two afterward. For most people it fades on its own and leaves no lasting effect.
A few things tend to help:
If the sensitivity is strong, or still there after a few days, call or text us and we'll take a look. More in sensitive teeth after whitening.
Whitening isn't permanent, because teeth keep meeting the coffee, tea, red wine, dark sauces and tobacco that stained them in the first place. Many people find their shade holds for many months, and some go a couple of years before wanting a refresh, but it varies a great deal from one person to the next. Diet and smoking make the biggest difference.
Keeping your custom trays makes upkeep simple: a short top-up every so often stops the shade drifting back. Rinsing with water after a dark drink, using a straw for iced coffee and keeping your regular cleanings all help. See how long whitening lasts and why results vary for more.
If veneers, bonding or new crowns are in your plans, order matters. Porcelain and composite are matched to the color of your natural teeth at the time they're made, and they won't lighten later. So if you'd like the rest of your smile brighter, whiten first.
After whitening, the shade usually settles over a week or two, and bonding materials don't grip as well on freshly whitened enamel. For both reasons, many dentists wait around two weeks before matching and bonding new restorations. Your own timeline depends on your plan.
Your digital smile preview helps with this, because you can see lighter natural teeth and new restorations together before committing to either one. Our post on veneers vs whitening helps if you're unsure which you need.
Whitening prices vary because the treatment itself varies. You'll have the exact price in writing before anything is done. The main factors:
Hold on to your trays once they're made. Buying gel for later touch-ups usually costs less than starting over from scratch.
Dental plans generally treat whitening as cosmetic, so it's usually not covered. The exam, cleaning or fillings you may need beforehand can fall under a plan's preventive or basic benefits, depending on the plan. Most major dental insurance is accepted here, and we check your benefits for you.
When whitening is one piece of a larger plan with veneers, bonding or other work, you can spread the total with 0% financing on approved credit from CareCredit, Cherry or LendingClub. See our financing options.
An in-office session takes one appointment, and tray fittings are short. We're open, with hours Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. Find us on Biscayne Blvd at NE 30th Street, in Edgewater. Park in the building, or look for street parking close by. It's a short drive from Midtown, Wynwood, the Design District and Downtown, depending on traffic. If you're whitening for a wedding or photos, start a few weeks ahead so there's time for trays and any touch-ups.
Dr. Aakash Rana, DDS is a general dentist trained at NYU College of Dentistry, with more than $100,000 in continuing education. He plans and treats each case at Prana Dental himself, works with our in-house lab, and refers to a specialist when a case needs one.
Neither is better for everyone. In-office whitening gives a faster, more noticeable change in one visit, while custom take-home trays work more gradually and are often easier on sensitive teeth. Many people do a session in the office and then use trays to deepen and maintain the result.
Strips use a milder gel and lie flat, so they can miss the curves of your teeth and the areas near the gums. Some stains, such as gray or banded discoloration, respond poorly to any whitening. Crowns, veneers and fillings don't change color at all, which can make results look uneven.
Sometimes partly, but results are slow and often uneven, because the discoloration sits deep inside the tooth. Gray and banded stains are the hardest to lighten. Veneers or bonding are often a more predictable way to cover them, and an exam will show which makes sense for you.
Usually not, because dental plans treat whitening as cosmetic. The exam, cleaning or fillings you may need first can be covered under preventive or basic benefits, depending on your plan. We check your benefits for you.
Many dentists wait about two weeks. That gives the new shade time to settle, so restorations are matched to your real final color, and it lets bonding materials grip the enamel properly. Your timeline depends on your plan.
For the first day or two, go easy on coffee, tea, red wine, dark sauces, berries and tobacco, since teeth can pick up stain more easily right after treatment. Very hot, cold or acidic food and drink can also trigger sensitivity during that time. Rinsing with water after anything dark helps.
Book your free first visit: exam, 3D scan and smile preview. Even, lasting, enamel-safe whitening, with no pressure.