How does Zoom in-chair teeth whitening work?
The Phillips Zoom WhiteSpeed is cutting edge teeth whitening technology. It combines a patented whitening gel with a unique blue LED lamp to boost the brightness of your smile by up to eight times.
It specifically targets stains marring the surface of teeth as a result of red wine, cigarettes, tea and coffee to produced unparalleled results.
What does the process involve?
Pre-Treatment Consultation
Before any teeth whitening, we’ll sit down with you for a consultation and examine your dental health and oral hygiene. We use this initial consultation to determine your suitability for in-chair teeth whitening and discuss your desires and expectations. We’re all different and our teeth are unique, so treatment plans can differ.
To get the best results we always recommend you complete a dental check up and clean (unless already completed recently). Whitening recently cleaned teeth offers by far the best results. If any dental work is necessary, we recommend you get this treated beginning a whitening regime. We don’t want to apply whitening bleach to an already sensitive tooth.
Pre-Treatment Care
If you’re booked in for whitening we recommend you use a sensitive toothpaste such as Sensodyne or Colgate Pro-relief in the week leading up to your appointment. As well us using Tooth Mousse which provides extra protection to your teeth.
The Whitening Experience
First off we make sure to protect your gums, cheek, tongue and lips by applying a rubber appliance and gauze seals. This stops the bleach solution from moving off your teeth onto sensitive areas that can be damaged by contact with the hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide we use for in-chair whitening is much more concentrated than take home or grocery products.
Once we have applied the protective barriers, your dentist will begin by applying of a layer of Zoom’s hydrogen peroxide bleaching gel. This patented gel penetrates deep into the enamel and works to break down the molecular bonds of the stain so it can be lifted from the tooth’s surface.
The Zoom WhiteSpeed Whitening LED light is then shone on the gel to speed up the whitening process. The LED light has variable settings that allow us to control how much light is emitted and therefore ensure you have a comfortable experience.
Your dentist will repeat this step up to three times during your consultation, depending on the shade of white you want to achieve and your sensitivity levels.
After Care
In the first 24 hours after whitening treatment, you may experience some tooth sensitivity or pain. While usually mild it can be stronger in susceptible individuals.
You can use Relief ACP gel or tootPlace the Relief ACP gel (in your take home bag) on the problem area to help reduce sensitivity. If you have customised bleach trays (take-home whitening) you can place a small amount of gel in each tooth of your whitening trays and wear the tray for 30-60 minutes.
Brushing your teeth with sensitive toothpaste, such as Sensodyne or Colgate Pro-relief for the weeks following the procedure is strongly recommended.
To boost the whiteness of your teeth and ensure the longevity of the treatment you can opt to add take-home whitening to your treatment. This allows you to top-up your smile’s brightness whenever you want.
How long will the results last?
How long the teeth whitening lasts depends on several factors, including your diet, medications and whether or not you smoke. It can also depend on your particular discolouration; generally, those with yellow coloured teeth see better results than those with brown or grey teeth.
As a rule of thumb, you can expect the results of your in-chair teeth whitening treatment to last between one and three years.
What are the side effects of teeth whitening?
Most concerns with teeth whitening side effects stem from improper use of over-the-counter kits. If directions aren’t followed closely, bleach can touch sensitive areas in the mouth, such as the gums, cheeks and lips, and cause itching, redness and pain.
That’s why in-chair teeth whitening is so highly recommended. It’s conducted within the controlled environment of our dental surgery and performed by one of our experienced dentists, with appropriate guards in place to protect your gums and skin.
There is a chance that tooth whitening will cause sensitivity. Usually with appropriate aftercare this sensitivity will dissipate in the following days. However if you suffer from already sensitive teeth this may not be an appropriate treatment for you. In this case, you may want to discuss other solutions for discoloured teeth, such as veneers, crowns and dentures.