If you desire maximum tooth whitening as quickly as possible, Zoom!® whitening is an effective procedure that can be performed in the dental office.
The bleaching agent in tooth whitening treatments is peroxide. Peroxides for whitening teeth vary in strength. When they are made for use at home, they have to be kept a little weak, because peroxide is irritating to the gums. However, when we do the bleaching in our office, we have a more controlled situation than you have at home. We apply a protective coating to your gums for the duration of the appointment, which allows us to use a much more concentrated form of peroxide. In addition, we apply a special lamp that is focused on your teeth to further accelerate the process. The end result is that your teeth can be dramatically whiter in just one appointment.
Zoom Whitening Procedure
1. First, retractors are placed to hold your lips away from your teeth so that the bleaching light can shine on them.
2. Then a napkin is placed to protect your lips and a soft, rubbery coating is placed over your gums. This allows the use of the most concentrated peroxide possible for your teeth.
3. The Zoom bleaching light is focused on your teeth. The light and the heat further accelerate the bleaching process. You will sit under this light for 15 to 45 minutes, depending on how your teeth respond.
4. At the end of this appointment, your teeth are dramatically whiter.
After the Zoom whitening session, we give you a custom tray for you to continue the treatment at home and to maintain the dramatic whiteness of your teeth.
Zoom Whitening Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Which is better to do, the Zoom Whitening or the tray teeth bleaching?
A. Both systems are very effective. Zoom is faster, though. Your choice depends more on your personal preferences. If you want dramatic results quickly, go with Zoom. If you’re patient and a diligent about following through at home, then choose that system.
Q. How effective are whitening toothpastes?
A. Toothpaste will only remove surface stains. In order to bleach your teeth to a whiter shade, it requires that a bleaching agent soak into your teeth. Toothpaste simply doesn’t stay on your teeth long enough to do this. And there is no way that toothpaste can be made as strong as the peroxide gel we use in the office, because the gel is very irritating to soft tissue. Remember that we have to coat your gums with a protective gel in order to accomplish that treatment (see photographs above).
Q. My teeth have dark spots. Can Zoom get rid of my spots?
A. This is a mistake that some dentists make when they don’t have much experience with cosmetic dentistry. They try to use a whitening treatment to get rid of spots. Zoom whitening affects your teeth uniformly, so if you have spots when you start, you’ll have spots when you’re done. But the spots and the rest of your teeth will both be whiter. The spots may even be more noticeable after the treatment. The proper treatment for dark spots on your teeth is dental bonding. Do the Zoom whitening first, let the color stabilize for a couple of weeks, then we can get rid of the spots with bonding.