Do you want perfect white teeth? Then you have probably already thought of teeth whitening. But what can bleach cost? And where can you possibly save some money?
How does whitening treatment work?
The three most famous whitening methods
We make a basic distinction between three methods of teeth whitening.
With in-office whitening, you get beautiful teeth in one session at the dentist. The bleaching gel is applied professionally, and the whitening success is checked in between. The effect of these special whitening sets is good in most cases. The effect of office bleaching can be further enhanced by using a specific UV light. This power whitening is very intensive, which is why this treatment should only be carried out under professional supervision.
For the so-called home whitening, you will receive specially made splints and a whitening gel from the dentist. Tooth whitening can take place at home. It is important to check the results regularly at the dentist so that it minimizes the risk of undesired discolored results.
In certain cases, internal bleaching is also used: dead teeth often discolor and can then only be lightened using the so-called walking bleach technique. Here the dentist puts the whitening agent inside the tooth. We leave this for a few days and then possibly changed again until the result is satisfactory.
This is how the bleach works for teeth whitening
Hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are the most common bleaching agents for white teeth. We only use sodium perborate for internal teeth whitening. The unwanted dyes in the tooth contain certain double bonds. Bleaching agents split off oxygen, which destroys the bonds between the dyes. The stored dyes become colorless, and your tooth color comes out again.
Side effects of bleaching
In the first few days after treatment, teeth are often sensitive and react strongly to hot or cold. However, this soon subsides again. Besides, irritation of the gums is often observed, but this is also harmless and goes away again. If we do professionally the whitening, the risk of serious side effects is exceptionally low.
What to look out for
Basically, before bleaching, individually clarify whether and at what points fillings and restorations are in the visible area. Because only your tooth substance is bleached!
For the success of professional whitening, professional teeth cleaning beforehand is crucial, because the bleaching agent is only effective on clean tooth surfaces.
Besides, the dentist should make sure that it makes no fillings after the bleaching, as the adhesive force is reduced afterward.
How much teeth whiten costs?
The whitening of the tooth enamel is not considered as a medical, but a purely cosmetic treatment. In contrast to teeth cleaning, it removes discoloration, which is of no medical importance. Therefore, you must bear the costs yourself, the health insurance does not contribute.
What affects the whitening cost?
The costs mainly depend on the method you choose for your teeth whitening: home whitening, so-called home whitening, or in-office whitening that takes place in the dentist’s office. The latter is usually more expensive, but also more effective. At the dentist, you can also opt for further measures and devices that enhance teeth whitening, but also cause more costs.
Also, the following applies: the whiter your teeth should be, the longer the bleaching will take, the greater the effort for the practitioner, and the higher the costs you can expect.
The following aspects influence costs:
- Should all teeth be bleached or maybe just the front teeth? How many teeth should be bleached?
- Would you like to have your teeth whitened in the practice or would you prefer to do your whitening at home with a whitening tray specially made for you?
- How much should your teeth be whitened? Which tooth color do you want?
- Which material is used for whitening?
- Would you like intensive bleaching with a special whitening lamp?
How can you save on teeth whitening?
The more teeth you are whitening, the higher the cost. If you only have your teeth bleached in the visible front teeth area, you can reduce the costs of your teeth whitening.
The choice of the method also affects the cost you expect. You can choose to have at-home bleaching, which saves you cost for the specialist staff. However, there are additional laboratory costs for the rails.
The dentist also has the option of using a special lamp to make your teeth even whiter. You also must pay extra for this application.
How much teeth whitening can cost?
Dentists are completely free to set the prices for this treatment.
For home bleaching, expect around €200 to €400. In-office bleaching costs around 30 to 70 euros per tooth. A power bleaching with a lamp is around 600 to 800 euros.
Besides, there are costs for professional teeth cleaning, which are usually between 50 and 100 euros.
The high-priced offers usually include additional wellness services that you do not need for effective bleaching. If you want to have your teeth whitened, it is important to do a price comparison and get a fair quote for the cost. Pay close attention to the included services and applications.
Does health insurance cover whitening costs?
Since bleaching is a purely cosmetic treatment, it is not covered by statutory health insurance. For this reason, private health insurance and supplementary dental insurance do not contribute to the cost of teeth whitening.
Conclusion: how much does bleaching cost?
The costs for the professional whitening of your teeth can be quite different.
Basically, the more you want your teeth to be whitened and the more effective the bleaching, the more you must spend. Since dentists are free to set costs, it is worth comparing prices or taking out suitable additional dental insurance.