How Much Does Teeth Whitening Cost in Australia?
The short answer.
CHOICE's published ranges are $400 to $1,500 for whitening in the chair (2019 figures) and $50 to $298 per arch for a take-home kit. Those aren't our fees: we quote yours at your consultation. Shop kits cost less up front but often need repeated use.
Your dentist can tailor professional teeth whitening to your teeth, in the chair or at home, so a box from a local shop isn’t your only option.
Why Would You Want Professional Teeth Whitening?
Over time, it’s perfectly natural for teeth to yellow with age. This is because the surface of your teeth is actually translucent, and not a solid colour. Protective tooth enamel (another site) can wear away from years of eating, drinking, and lifestyle choices like tobacco use or drinking coffee. This reveals the inner dentin layers of your teeth, which are typically a few shades darker.
Some people simply prefer how a whiter smile looks.
Whitening is a cosmetic choice, and results vary from person to person.
How Much Will Professional Teeth Whitening Cost?
CHOICE (another site) puts whitening in the chair at $400 to $1,500, from 2019 figures, and a take-home kit at $50 to $298 per arch ($100 to $596 for the whole mouth), depending on where you live, the product and the condition and colour of your teeth (updated March 2023). These are published ranges, not our fees.
We have two fees, one for whitening in the chair and one for take-home trays, and a check-up and clean comes first if you’re due. Fees depend on the treatment you need, so we give you an accurate quote at your consultation, before anything starts.
While certainly convenient, shop-bought kits can actually increase your teeth whitening cost. They use milder products than your dentist does, so they may take many uses to make a difference, and the costs add up.
At-home shop-bought whitening kits also present some potential risks. Because these kits aren’t customised to your mouth, the strips or trays might fit poorly, exposing your gums to cleaning agents that can cause irritation.
By comparison, professional whitening uses stronger gels applied or supervised by your dentist, so you may need fewer treatments. Results vary from person to person, and whitening can make teeth temporarily sensitive.
Dental Bridgework and Crowns
Teeth whitening will not whiten previous dental crowns or bridges. They will also not whiten veneers. If you get your teeth whitening done in-chair, you will need to have any restorations replaced or performed after your whitening session in order to match the new shade of your natural teeth. This may increase the overall cost of a fully-white smile.
What’s Different About Professional Teeth Whitening?
Customised Results
Like any medical procedure, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to teeth whitening. During an in-chair teeth whitening treatment, your dentist will directly apply an appropriate strength whitening gel directly to your teeth, focusing on problem areas to ensure even whitening across your teeth.
At Dental Spot, we use Poladay, Opalescence, and Colgate whitening treatments. You whiten either in the chair, in a session of about an hour, or at home over a few weeks with trays made for your teeth. The trays work for top-ups later.
If an in-chair whitening doesn’t fit your schedule, your dentist may recommend a professional at-home whitening kit, which is far different than typical shop-bought whitening products. With a professional kit, everything from the strength of the whitening gel to customised mouth trays will be designed for you, so you can achieve similar results even if you’re not in the dentist’s chair.
More Value for the Money
You can buy whitening strips at a local shop for a fraction of the cost of an in-office dentist visit. However, you’ll likely end up buying those strips and kits far more often, with varying results. After several rounds of purchasing these products, you’ll probably wonder why you’re spending so much money for inconsistent results.
Professional whitening lasts from months to a few years (another site), depending on coffee, tea, red wine and smoking. Your dentist sets how strong the gel is and how long you use it.
The Takeaway
If you choose generalised teeth whitening kits, you might brighten your teeth a few shades for a relatively low initial cost. Professional whitening may cost more at first, but it is tailored to your teeth and supervised by your dentist.
Sources
- About tooth whitening (another site), Oral Health Foundation
- How much does the dentist cost? (another site), CHOICE
Opalescence: professional teeth-whitening gels. This product is not available for purchase by the general public.
Pola: professional teeth-whitening gels. This product is not available for purchase by the general public.
This guide is general information, not advice about your own teeth. Your dentist can tell you what applies to you, including the risks of any treatment.
