Teeth Whitening – Los Angeles, CA

Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?

Potentially, anyone who isn’t one hundred percent pleased with the shade of their grin can benefit from this service. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the best solution to meet everyone’s unique needs. Before proceeding, you must consult Dr. Latner to ensure you’re a good candidate.

For instance, extrinsic stains from consuming darkly pigmented foods and drinks tend to respond well to topical bleaching, but that’s not always true of blemishes that have seeped into the lower layer of dentin. Our team will also need to examine your mouth for any pre-existing concerns, such as tooth decay or gum disease, that might interfere with the results, and treat those first.

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

Most teeth whitening products contain a bleach, like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, that breaks down stain molecules on your enamel to reduce their size and concentration. Our team in Los Angeles offers two different types of teeth whitening and will suggest an appropriate treatment to meet your needs after we’ve examined your current condition.

Depending on our findings, we might recommend one of the following options:

In-office Teeth Whitening

Many patients prefer the instant results of an in-office procedure that can potentially lighten their smile by up to eight shades in a single visit. For this option, our team carefully applies Zoom! Whitening gel to your enamel then speeds up the bleaching process by applying an ultraviolet light.

Take-Home Teeth Whitening

If you’re short on time, you might opt for one of our professional-grade take-home whitening kits. Unlike store-bought products, which rely on one-size-fits-all trays and diluted bleaching agents, we include custom-fitted applicators and ultra-concentrated gels designed to mitigate potential sensitivity.

Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile

Once you’ve finally reached your smile goals, it’s natural to want to do everything you can to maintain the results. Thankfully, there are several ways you can keep your grin looking bright, including:

• Avoiding darkly pigmented foods. Common culprits like coffee, tea, berries, tomatoes, and wine can restain your teeth.
• Scheduling touch-ups. You might require a periodic teeth whitening repeat treatment to preserve the perfect hue.
• Implementing a routine. You should brush and floss twice daily to remove plaque and bacteria that give pigmented particles something to cling to.
• Attend checkups consistently. Visiting our team every six months for a routine exam and cleaning allows us to monitor your condition and remove more recent surface stains.

Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening

When patients start asking about the cost of teeth whitening in Los Angeles, the first thing to understand is that it isn't one-size-fits-all. Several factors shape the final price, and the right treatment for your smile may look completely different from someone else's. Keep reading below to see a breakdown of what’s involved so you can weigh your options and find the solution that fits your needs best.

Read More Read Less

Factors that Affect the Cost of Teeth Whitening

While professional whitening is generally standardized, the cost of teeth whitening in Los Angeles can still vary from patient to patient based on several variables, such as:

• Severity of Staining: Deeper or more stubborn discoloration may require more product or sessions to achieve your target shade.
• Type of Discoloration: Extrinsic stains on the surface of the enamel tend to respond well to bleaching. Intrinsic stains—those caused by aging, certain medications, or trauma—are more resistant and may require an alternative cosmetic solution.
• Preparatory Procedures: If fillings, crowns, or other restorative work are needed before whitening can begin, those services will factor into the overall cost.

Types of Teeth Whitening: What Do They Cost?

Whitening options run the full spectrum from budget-friendly to premium. Here's how they compare in cost:

• Whitening Strips & Gels: Available at most drugstores and pharmacies, these typically cost $20–$40 per box and contain enough product for up to two weeks of treatment. However, results are mild and gradual.
• OTC Whitening Kits: A step up from strips, these over-the-counter trays usually run $100 or less. They're more involved but still limited by lower-concentration formulas and generic, non-custom trays.
• Professional Take-Home Kits: Latner offers professional-grade take-home kits with custom-fitted trays and concentrated gel. This is a significant upgrade from anything store-bought and typically costs only a few hundred dollars.
• In-Office Zoom! Whitening: The fastest and most dramatic option, the Zoom! system can lighten your smile by up to eight shades in a single visit, with costs generally ranging from $400 to $800, and occasionally higher in complex cases.

Fast Teeth Whitening VS Inexpensive Teeth Whitening

If professional whitening costs more than over-the-counter solutions, why is it still so popular? Put simply, it’s speed!

Whitening sits on a sliding scale—the faster and more dramatic the results, the higher the price tag. Strips may eventually get you there, but they'll take weeks of consistent use to show meaningful results. This is one reason scheduling a consultation with Dr. Latner before starting any bleaching regimen is worth your time.

If a big event, like a wedding or graduation, is around the corner, speed matters, and it may be well worth the extra cost to get professional treatment. If you have more time and flexibility, a take-home kit or even an OTC option could serve you just as well at a lower cost.

Options For Making Teeth Whitening Affordable

Because teeth whitening is cosmetic, dental insurance typically won't cover it. But that doesn't mean you have to pay everything out of pocket. Westside Dental Associates offers CareCredit financing, which lets you break the cost of treatment into manageable monthly payments. Applying is easy, and many plans offer little to no interest if paid by the due date.

For patients who prefer to pay upfront, we also accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. You can find full details on all of our payment and financing options on our patients page. Feeling overwhelmed? Reach out to our team, and we’ll walk you through everything before you commit to treatment.