Teeth Whitening
Professional whitening for a brighter, more radiant smile.
If your teeth have gone from white to something more like off-white or light brown over the years, you're not imagining things — coffee, tea, wine, and plain old time do that. At Monteluz Dental Specialty Group in San Bernardino, we offer professional teeth whitening for patients who want results that go beyond what a drugstore strip can deliver. We'll be straight with you about what whitening can and can't do, walk you through your options, and help you figure out which approach actually fits your schedule and your budget. Call us at (909) 567-2024 — we typically have same-week availability.
In-Office vs. Take-Home — Which Is Right for You?
The honest answer is that both methods use the same active ingredient — carbamide or hydrogen peroxide — and both work. The difference is concentration and time. In-office whitening takes about an hour. You come in, we apply a higher-strength gel, and you leave with teeth that are several shades lighter than when you walked in. That's the right choice if you have an event coming up, if you've been putting this off and want it done, or if you just don't want to deal with wearing trays at home every night. Take-home trays cost less and work on your schedule. We take impressions and make trays that actually fit your mouth — not the one-size-fits-most trays that come in drugstore kits. You wear them for a few hours a day or overnight for about two weeks. The results are comparable to in-office; it just takes longer to get there. Many patients do both: start with an in-office session and use take-home trays for occasional touch-ups afterward.
What Whitening Actually Does (and Doesn't Do)
Whitening bleaches the enamel of your natural teeth. That's it. It does not work on crowns, veneers, porcelain bridges, or composite bonding — those materials don't respond to peroxide. If you have restorations on your front teeth, whitening the natural teeth around them may actually make the mismatch more obvious, not less. We check for this before we start and will tell you if it's a concern in your case. Whitening works best on surface stains — the kind that come from coffee, tea, red wine, and smoking. Tetracycline staining tends to be grayish or banded, and whitening improves it only modestly, if at all. Fluorosis doesn't respond well either. We'll look at your specific staining pattern and give you a realistic expectation before you spend anything.
Sensitivity and Side Effects
Tooth sensitivity during and after whitening is real and common. It usually shows up as a sharp, brief zing when you eat or drink something cold — sometimes hot — and it typically lasts a day or two after treatment. For most patients it's manageable. For some, especially those who already have sensitive teeth, it can be uncomfortable enough to pause treatment. A few things reduce sensitivity: using a lower-concentration gel over more sessions, using a sensitivity toothpaste for a week or two before you start, and avoiding acidic or very cold foods right after a session. With take-home trays, you have more control — you can shorten the wear time or take a day off if your teeth are reacting.
Cost and Insurance
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure. Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal do not cover it — at all, under any circumstances. We want to be clear about that so you're not counting on coverage that isn't there. Most private plans also exclude whitening. Out of pocket, in-office whitening typically runs $300–$500; take-home trays are generally less. We'll give you the exact pricing during your consultation. Monteluz does accept Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal for covered services — exams, cleanings, fillings — so if you're a Denti-Cal patient who wants to add whitening on top of a regular appointment, the whitening portion will be a separate out-of-pocket cost.
Schedule a Whitening Appointment
We serve patients from San Bernardino, Fontana, Rialto, Colton, Redlands, and the surrounding Inland Empire. Same-week appointments are usually available. Call (909) 567-2024 — our team speaks English and Spanish and can walk you through both whitening options over the phone. If you're not sure whether whitening is the right step for you, a consultation is a good place to start.
Ready to be seen by a specialist?
Same-week appointments available. Most insurances accepted.