Prices for teeth whitening in London range from under £100 to well over £1,000, which tells you almost nothing useful. This guide explains what sits behind those numbers so you can judge what you are being quoted.
Why the range is so wide
Who is doing it. In the UK, teeth whitening is a dental procedure. It is illegal for anyone who is not a registered dental professional to carry it out. Beauty salons and kiosks offering whitening are acting outside the law, and the products they use are either too weak to work or strong enough to damage your gums.
What is being used. Professional whitening uses regulated concentrations of peroxide, supplied in custom-fitted trays or applied in the chair. Over the counter kits are limited by law to concentrations low enough that results are modest.
How much work is involved. A straightforward case on healthy teeth costs less than one requiring hygiene treatment first, or where existing crowns and fillings need replacing to match the new shade.
What you pay at M Dental
- PolaNight home whitening with custom trays, small kit: £295
- PolaNight home whitening, large kit: £495
- Top-up gel: from £130
- New patient examination, including X-rays if required: £117
- Existing patient consultation: £87
A dental examination is required before whitening, so we can confirm your teeth and gums are healthy. Over the counter kits sold in shops typically cost £10 to £50, but UK law limits them to concentrations low enough that the effect is modest. The same prices apply at both clinics.
What whitening will not fix
This is where expectations most often go wrong.
Whitening does not change the colour of crowns, veneers, bridges or white fillings. They stay exactly the shade they were made. If you have a crown on a front tooth and whiten the teeth around it, that crown will suddenly look darker. Replacing restorations afterwards to match is an additional cost that should be discussed before you start, not after.
Whitening does not remove surface staining. Coffee, tea and tobacco staining sits on the tooth surface and is removed by a hygiene appointment, not by whitening. Many people who book whitening actually need stain removal, and are happy with the result for considerably less money.
Whitening does not work on every kind of discolouration. Staining from tetracycline antibiotics, or from trauma to a single tooth, often responds poorly. Veneers or internal whitening may be more appropriate.
Sensitivity
Some sensitivity during whitening is normal and temporary. It usually settles within a day or two of finishing. Using a sensitivity toothpaste for a fortnight beforehand helps, as does shortening the wear time if trays are uncomfortable.
If you already have sensitive teeth, say so at the consultation. We can adjust the concentration and the schedule to suit, rather than you abandoning the course halfway.
How long results last
One to three years, depending on what you eat, drink and smoke. Coffee, tea, red wine, curry and tobacco all shorten it.
Most people keep the trays and top up for a night or two every six to twelve months, which costs only the price of a gel refill. That is far cheaper than a fresh course, and worth asking about when you compare quotes.
Getting the order right
If you are planning other cosmetic work, sequence matters:
- Hygiene appointment first, to remove surface staining. You may need less whitening than you thought.
- Whitening next, to reach your target shade.
- Veneers, bonding or new crowns last, matched to your whitened shade.
Doing it the other way round means paying twice for the restorations.
Questions worth asking any practice
- Is the consultation included in the price?
- Are custom trays included, or charged separately?
- How much gel does the fee cover, and what does a refill cost?
- Will my existing crowns or fillings need replacing to match?
- Who will carry out the treatment, and are they GDC registered?
Book a whitening consultation at M Dental Canada Water (SE16) or Greenwich (SE10). Call 020 4518 8554 or 020 4541 8517.
