While healthy teeth come in a range of various shapes, shades and sizes a lot of us desire the look of big, white teeth which has been established as a beauty standard in our modern society. Bright and white smiles are associated with youthful appearance as teeth naturally tend to get darker with age. So it should come to no surprise when we are surrounded by celebrities and social media personalities displaying sets of perfect pearly whites.
Here at Bite Dental, we’ve been offering take-home whitening for many years. While proven to be very effective and safe, recently we found that a lot of our patients seek more instant results. Therefore we have some exciting news—Bite Dental is getting the latest Zoom WhiteSpeed in-studio whitening system! Now you can achieve a brighter smile in as little as one and a half hours.
Phillips has made a number of improvements to the original Zoom system as it unveiled the new Zoom WhiteSpeed Accelerator. It features an LED lamp that comes with various intensity options that activates a specially formulated hydrogen peroxide gel to provide effective and fast tooth whitening while reducing associated sensitivity [ref. 1].
Is Zoom whitening for me?
While good results can be achieved with the conventional take-home kit that usually takes up to two weeks, Zoom whitening can speed up the process for you. It is ideal for our clients who may have compliance issues with wearing whitening trays regularly, or those seeking more instant results.
Sensitivity was another limitation with take-home kits that stopped some people from completing a full course of whitening. The incidence of sensitivity using the latest LED lamp with in-studio whitening is quite low and is often resolved within couple of days after the procedure.
Zoom whitening is also perfect for those with very discoloured teeth as it can be followed with take-home whitening for more dramatic results [ref. 2].
What should I expect from my in-studio Zoom whitening appointment?
Prior to whitening treatment your teeth should be healthy and free of calcified build-up therefore a thorough check-up and clean is highly advised. It will also allow you to ask any question about the procedure that you may have and let your dentist to take impressions of your teeth so you can be issued with custom-made trays that are included in the whitening package (they generally take a few days to make). The whitening appointment will take anywhere between an hour and a half to two hours allowing enough time to complete necessary documentation, take before photos, isolate soft tissues and gums so bleach doesn’t irritate them and do two to four 15-minute sessions of whitening. Some people report sensitivity towards the end or straight after the procedure but this is usually resolved within couple of days.
The change in tooth colour can range from very subtle to dramatic depending on how stained your teeth are in the first place. Our teeth are porous, like fine pumice stone, so over time some of the surface stain particles get absorbed and accumulate within the porosities of our teeth. The hydrogen peroxide in whitening gel penetrates these porosities breaking down the stains trapped within while the LED light speeds up the process.
It is also important to remember that not all discolorations can be treated successfully. Therefore it is important to discuss your expectations with your dentist or hygienist so they can help you achieve the desired outcome. This step is particularly important if your front teeth have fillings, crowns, root canal treatments or have extremely dark discolouration that could be developmental.
Our team here at Bite Dental, will be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have about whitening your teeth.
References:
- The Effect of Delivery System and Light Activation on Tooth Whitening Efficacy and Hydrogen Peroxide Penetration. Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry. Volume 28, Issue 5, September/October 2016, Pages 313–320.
- Effectiveness of a combined in-office and take-home whitening system for teeth shades A3.5 to A4. Europe PMC http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/25455616