Custom trays and a clinician-directed course at home.
Cost guide
Two whitening prices. Different pace and supervision.
Take-home and in-chair whitening use different treatment formats. Cost should be compared alongside suitability, sensitivity, restorations, timing, and the cause of the colour change.
A supervised treatment appointment at the clinic.
Response depends on the tooth, type of stain, restorations, and method.
Whitening changes natural tooth tissue, not crowns, veneers, fillings, bonding, or bridges. Results and sensitivity vary, and a specific shade change cannot be predicted.
Published starting prices
Choose by suitability and pace, not price alone.
Take-home treatment provides more control over pace and starts lower. In-chair treatment concentrates treatment into a supervised appointment. The assessment can identify whether one, both, or neither option is suitable.
Any treatment needed for decay, cracks, gum disease, or significant sensitivity is separate from cosmetic whitening.
Custom take-home whitening
Custom upper and lower trays with prescribed gel and an individual use schedule.
In-chair whitening
A supervised clinic appointment with soft-tissue protection and sensitivity management as indicated.
Future touch-up
Trays may be reusable when they still fit, but fresh prescribed gel and a suitability review are separate future costs.
What each starting figure covers
The treatment format changes the inclusion list.
Included in the published figure
- A pre-whitening dental assessment
- For take-home: custom upper and lower trays, prescribed gel for the planned course, instructions, and sensitivity advice
- For in-chair: gum protection, supervised whitening treatment, sensitivity management, and aftercare instructions
- A realistic discussion of likely response and limitations
May be quoted separately
- Treatment of decay, cracks, gum disease, exposed roots, or significant sensitivity
- Cleaning or stain removal when clinically indicated before whitening
- Future top-up gel or another in-chair session
- Replacement of visible restorations that no longer match after natural teeth lighten
- Alternative treatment when the colour change will not respond predictably
Side by side
Faster does not mean more suitable.
Both options can cause sensitivity, both require an assessment, and neither offers a predictable number of shades.
| Compare | Take-home | In-chair |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $299 | From $850 |
| Format | Gradual course at home using custom trays | Supervised treatment in one clinic appointment |
| Control of pace | Schedule can be adjusted as directed if sensitivity occurs | Exposure is managed during the appointment |
| Touch-ups | Trays may be reusable with fresh prescribed gel if they still fit | A future clinic session requires reassessment and a new fee |
| Limitations | Will not change restorations or provide a fixed shade outcome | Will not change restorations or provide a fixed shade outcome |
Where money may be wasted
Do not pay to bleach the wrong cause.
A new dark tooth, pain, a crack, or localised colour change may need diagnosis. Existing restorations and intrinsic staining can also limit the value of whitening.
Restorations
- Crowns, veneers, fillings, bonding, and bridges keep their current shade.
- Replacing restorations solely for colour is a separate irreversible decision.
Intrinsic colour
- Tetracycline staining, fluorosis, and trauma-related greying may respond poorly or unevenly.
- A single dark tooth can need nerve, crack, decay, or trauma assessment.
Sensitivity and health
- Temporary sensitivity and gum irritation can occur.
- Active decay, gum disease, significant erosion, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and age under 18 can delay or rule out elective whitening.
Funding and alternatives
Cosmetic cost, conservative sequence.
Start with natural tooth colour
Health fund benefits are commonly unavailable for cosmetic whitening. Your fund can confirm the proposed item numbers.
If healthy natural teeth are the right candidate and colour is the main concern, whitening may be more conservative than veneers. If shape, damage, alignment, or restorations are central, another plan may be needed.
Related decisions
Read before choosing a method.
Common questions
Whitening cost, without shade claims.
How much does professional teeth whitening cost?
Custom take-home whitening starts from $299 at Ivy Dental. In-chair whitening starts from $850. An assessment is required because decay, cracks, sensitivity, gum disease, enamel wear, and restorations can change suitability.
Is in-chair whitening worth more than take-home whitening?
The higher starting price reflects a supervised in-clinic appointment, soft-tissue protection, and a faster treatment format. Take-home treatment is less expensive and more gradual. Neither option provides a fixed shade outcome or is automatically better for every person.
Does health insurance cover teeth whitening?
Whitening is generally treated as cosmetic and benefits are commonly unavailable. Your fund can confirm whether any benefit applies to your policy and proposed item numbers.
How long do whitening results last?
Results often remain noticeable for about 1 to 3 years, but diet, tobacco, oral hygiene, starting colour, and natural ageing affect restaining. Clinically appropriate touch-ups may help maintain the result.
Will whitening damage my teeth?
Professional whitening is intended for use on clinically suitable teeth under the prescribed protocol. Temporary sensitivity and gum irritation can occur. Untreated decay, cracks, significant erosion, exposed roots, or other dental concerns may need care first.
Why does whitening not work on some teeth?
Whitening does not change fillings, crowns, veneers, bonding, or bridges. Tetracycline staining, fluorosis, trauma-related greying, and some colour within the tooth may respond poorly or unevenly. A dark tooth can also need diagnosis rather than bleaching.
A considered first step
Find out whether either price applies to your teeth.
We can diagnose the colour change, check restorations and sensitivity, and explain the likely value and limitations of take-home or in-chair treatment.