More and more Americans are interested in whitening their teeth. You can find many products meant to help customers get their coveted white smile, including toothpaste, gels, and whitening strips. But how much does teeth whitening cost? And is that cost worth it?

Let’s take a look at what treatments are available.

At-Home Teeth Whitening

When you choose to whiten your teeth in the comfort of your home, you do trade off a lot of the benefits of a professional whitening process, but you will find the cheapest options here. Some of them are:

• Whitening Toothpaste – Used to remove surface stains on the teeth. It has a very weak whitening strength and may take many weeks to see a result.
• Whitening Strips – These plastic strips have a peroxide solution on them that can help bleach the teeth. Be careful when applying the strips to avoid any unwanted bleaching. 
• Whitening Rinses – These are similar to mouthwashes, they freshen breath and help get them white. However, the effectiveness of this treatment is not very effective.

At-Home treatments generally take a few weeks of consistent use in order for the results to be noticeable. They also are not as powerful as professional teeth whitening treatments, so if you are wanting to whiten your teeth by a number of shades, this option may not be for you.

Professional In-Office Teeth Whitening

When you get your teeth whitened in the office, you are able to access the most powerful and effective treatments to whiten your smile. These range from a gel treatment to laser treatment. 

Often the dentist will prepare a tray for your mouth and fill it with a bleaching gel that is many times more powerful than any at-home system.

This is also supplemented by a quick and powerful treatment where the bleach is directly painted onto the teeth and then a bright light or laser helps the bleach set and whiten the teeth. This treatment can be complete in as little as 30 to 60 minutes. Often your first visit will be able to show a dramatic change. 

Your smile is going to stay white and beautiful for longer when you take advantage of the professional training and expertise that your dentist has in order to improve your smile. These treatments are the most long-lasting and are an investment in your self-confidence. 

What Should I Expect To Pay?

If we were to look at the two options just by price, you may think that At-Home kits win out. You can get a tube of whitening toothpaste for just a few dollars, while in-office treatments can cost an average of $650 or more. 

However, don’t let those numbers confuse you. The at-home kits often take many times longer for you to see any result and they require that you consistently use the product or risk losing all progress. 

An at-home kit of whitening strips can cost $40, and custom-fitted trays for gels can be created by your dentist for $400 or less. These allow for a snug fit for you when you apply the storebought gels to help whiten his teeth. 

Professional tooth whitening may be expensive, with the average being $650, but some treatments can be $1000 or more, depending on the treatment used and the cost of the service. However, you are able to see a change within the first meeting. Unlike spending a month or more to just see your teeth change a couple of shades, you are able to see your white smile shine through after a single visit. 

This is because professional treatments can take advantage of more powerful peroxides, lasers, and a whole host of treatments that can help your oral health. Typically, at-home treatments only have 10% peroxide and professional treatments often contain between 25% to 40% peroxide. 

Can Dental Insurance Cover Teeth Whitening Cost?

Most dental insurances will not cover the cost of teeth whitening because it is considered a cosmetic treatment. However, many dentist offices offer affordable payment plans to help out with the cost of in-office treatment. You may even have access to third party financing should you need it.

If you think that you want to get your teeth whitened, or speak to one of our experts about teeth whitening cost and you live in the Upland, CA area, give Upland Dental Group a call for your consultation at (909) 481-8990. Our expert team will be more than happy to answer your questions.