The Costs of Various Teeth Whitening Options

When it comes to cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening has become extremely popular among both men and women. Teeth whitening has been improved upon over the years and today there are multiple options that can fit any budget, time frame, and tendency.

There are three major teeth whitening processes that are available: in-office whitening, professionally dispensed take-home whitening kits, and over-the counter whitening.

The first option of teeth whitening is in-office whitening. This process usually works best for patients who have had substantial color changes in their teeth over a short period of time. During this procedure peroxide gel is placed on a patient’s teeth by the dentist or an experienced technician. To protect the gums from this rather high-concentration of peroxide gel a paint-on rubber dam will be applied to the upper and lower gums. This process usually takes about an hour and cost about $650 on average.

The next teeth whitening option is a professionally dispensed kit you can take home and apply yourself. Like the in-office whitening, this kit uses peroxide gel but in lower concentrations so it is safe to use at home. The gel is positioned on the teeth using a custom-made bleaching tray for about an hour or sometimes longer. Your dentist will help make this individualized tray to fit your mouth. This take-home kit can cost anywhere from $100 to $400 and is really beneficial for long-term teeth whitening.

The last option is teeth whitening care is over the counter whitening, which can cost $20 to $100. This can sometimes be the easiest option since you just go to the store to buy it. It usually contains a lower concentration of bleaching gel than the professionally distributed take-home kits for teeth whitening. The gel can either be applied by whitening strips, paint-on applicators, or one-size-fits-all trays.