How much does professional teeth whitening cost? What goes into the price

How much does professional teeth whitening cost? The honest answer is that there’s no single price. Each clinic sets its own, after an exam, and OBIOWHITE doesn’t publish patient prices. What you can know ahead of time is what a quote is made of: an exam, a cleaning if you need one, the in-clinic session, sometimes strips to continue at home, and touch-ups later on. Once you know what to ask, it’s much easier to understand a quote and to compare quotes fairly.

If you’ve asked around about whitening prices, you’ve probably seen quotes that look very different from each other. Usually that’s not because anyone got it wrong, but because the quotes don’t cover the same thing: one includes only the treatment, another also includes an exam, a cleaning and strips for home. This article breaks a quote down into its parts.

What a whitening quote can include

Professional whitening isn’t a single product; it’s a process, so a quote is usually made up of several parts. Not every clinic includes all of them, and that’s fine, as long as it’s clear what you’re getting:

• An exam. Your dentist checks for decay, gum problems, cracks, restorations and any sensitivity you already have, and compares your current shade against a shade guide. This is the step that decides whether whitening is right for you and what’s realistic. What it looks like from the chair is in Your first whitening visit, step by step.
• A cleaning, if needed. Tartar and surface stain come off with a cleaning, not with whitening, so dentists often suggest cleaning first. Some clinics include the cleaning in the quote; others charge for it separately.
• The in-clinic session. Your dentist preps your teeth with OBIOACTIVE, protects your gums with OBIOGINGIVAL, applies OBIOWHITE ULTRA gel and switches on the OBIOWHITE LAMP. OBIOWHITE whitening is free of pain and sensitivity. The details are on the in-clinic whitening page.
• Strips to continue at home. OBIOWHITE STRIPS come from your dentist, to continue the treatment or to touch it up later. Some quotes include them and some don’t. See At-home whitening and upkeep.
• Touch-ups down the road. The shade drifts back gradually; that’s normal. It’s worth knowing now how the clinic handles touch-ups: with strips, another in-clinic session, or a mix of both.

Why the price differs from person to person

Two people can walk into the same clinic and come out with different quotes. A quote is built around what your dentist finds at the exam, and mostly around four things:

• Your starting shade, and what caused the staining. Yellowish tones usually respond better than grayish ones, and stain from the outside, like coffee, tea or tobacco, usually responds better than discoloration from medication or an injury to the tooth. In those cases, the plan may look different.
• What needs doing before whitening. If there’s tartar, decay or gums that need care, those are treated first. That isn’t part of whitening, but it’s part of getting there.
• One session, or a session followed by strips. For some people the in-clinic session is enough; for others, the dentist suggests continuing with strips at home. The differences are covered in In-clinic or at home: how to choose.
• Restorations on your front teeth. Crowns, veneers, fillings and bonding don’t change color with whitening. Once your teeth are lighter, an older front restoration may stand out, and your dentist may suggest replacing it so it matches. That’s a separate cost, and it’s better to talk about it at the exam. And if you’re planning new front work, you usually whiten first, so the new restoration is matched to your new shade.

A quote vs. a kit off the shelf: not the same comparison

It’s tempting to set the price of an in-clinic treatment next to a tube of whitening toothpaste or a drugstore kit, but they aren’t two versions of the same product. Whitening toothpaste removes surface stain with mild abrasives; it doesn’t change the shade of the tooth itself. Shelf kits vary a lot, and what’s in them is on the label. What none of them has is an exam beforehand, protection for your gums, and a dentist who oversees the process and knows when to stop or adjust. With professional whitening, that’s part of what you’re paying for.

The full comparison, including what each option does and doesn’t do, is in Whitening toothpaste, shelf kits or professional whitening.

Shortcuts that end up costing more

Lemon, baking soda, activated charcoal: the hacks online look like a way to whiten for free. Most of them remove surface stain at best, and with repeated use, acid and scrubbing wear away enamel. Enamel that’s gone doesn’t grow back. Underneath it is dentin, which is more yellow, and the thinner the enamel, the more it shows, so your teeth can actually end up looking more yellow.

That doesn’t mean anyone who once tried lemon has done damage. It just means it isn’t really a saving. If you’ve tried something, mention it at the exam. More in Lemon, baking soda, charcoal: what viral whitening hacks really do to your teeth.

Keep the result, and touch up less often

The part that’s easiest to forget is what happens after whitening. The longer your shade holds, the fewer touch-ups you need, and that’s as much up to you as it is to your dentist. For the first 24 to 48 hours, the usual advice is to avoid strongly colored food and drinks; if your dentist gave you different instructions, follow those. After that, a few simple habits do most of the work:

• Rinse with water after coffee, tea or wine.
• Brush twice a day and clean between your teeth.
• Keep up regular cleanings, and have your shade checked at visits, so you can see when a touch-up is actually due.

How long will the result last? It varies from person to person. More in Keeping your whitening result and Coffee, tea and wine after whitening.

How to get a clear quote

A good quote is one with no surprises. When you get one, it’s worth asking:

• What exactly is included: the exam, the in-clinic session, and what else?
• Is the cleaning included, or is it separate? And do I need one first at all?
• Are strips for home part of the quote, or an add-on?
• How do touch-ups work here later on, and what do they include?
• What happens if a front restoration stands out after whitening? Should it be replaced, and what would that involve?
• What changes in the quote if the exam shows something needs treating first?

If you’re comparing two clinics, put the quotes side by side, line by line. Often the difference in price turns out to be a difference in what’s included.