Professional Tooth Whitening

The most important question people ask is, what treatment is best? Professional teeth whitening treatments performed by the dentist or using an at-home whitener? In order to answer that question, let’s take a closer look at the procedures...

Peroxide based teeth whitening is determined by the concentration of peroxide in the whitener and the amount of time the whitener is in contact with the surface of the teeth. So for the teeth to whiten, they need to be exposed to an appropriate teeth whitener for an appropriate amount of time. Hence, in order to get the same degree of lightening, a teeth whitening system may either employ a low concentration whitener for a long period of time (at home teeth whitening products use this method) or a higher concentration whitener for a short period of time (professional teeth whitening treatments performed by dentists use this method).

The whitening compounds and equipment the dentist uses are usually purchased from a manufacturer as a kit, system, or even as a franchise. The well known brands include:

System	Type of Bleaching Light or Laser
BriteSmile	Gas Plasma Light / Light Emitting Diode
Zoom!	Metal Halide Light
LaserSmile	A Biolase Laser
Rembrandt	Sapphire Plasma Arc Light
LumaArch	Halogen Light
Opalescence Xtra Boost	Does not have a lighting source
Niveous	Does not have a lighting source

Professional tooth whitening refers to a technique in which the whitener is applied by the dentist in the dental office. If you are using at-home teeth whitening kit, you have the bleaching materials at home and perform the treatments on your own, unsupervised. An hour of in-office treatment can produce the same results as one or two weeks of at-home tray-based whitening.

In a professional teeth whitening treatment, the whitening effect is seen immediately and is accomplished in just a few appointments (usually one) and usually the treatment costs more than the at-home teeth whitening products.

Whitening professional products contain 15-50% hydrogen peroxide. At home products contain 3-10% hydrogen peroxide. This is why professional teeth whitening treatments can bleach teeth much more quickly and effectively. The whitening gels have a neutral pH (non acidic).

The cost of a bleaching treatment varies, depending on the dental practice. The average cost for a single professional teeth whitening treatment can range from $600 to $2000.

It has been reported that the average number of professional whitening treatments needed to “make a patient happy” was three, while it took two to six in-office bleaching appointment to reach “maximum whiteness”. However, one 1-hour professional in-office teeth bleaching treatment is expected to provide a colour change in the teeth.

There are a variety of over the counter products available. Many of those advertised over the Internet or on television are not safe, reliable or effective. They may be runny or acidic and you can swallow them easily or they may damage your teeth’s enamel. Some other products use unproven methods to deliver the whitening substance with “boil-and-bite” mouth trays. Many of the products have not undergone rigorous testing such as professionally dispensed products.

Other over the counter products such as whitening strips and paint-on solution are somewhat safe, but would not achieve a dramatic improvement available with the professional options.

What is Zoom3! Advanced Power?

The Zoom! In-office Whitening System is a tooth whitening revolutionary procedure. It’s effective, safe and very fast. In over an hour, the teeth will be dramatically whiter. Zoom! Whitening is ideal for anyone and is the perfect choice for busy individuals. The procedure is simple and painless. First your lips and gums are isolated. Then the clinician applies the proprietary Zoom! Whitening Gel that is activated by a specially designed light. Your teeth will become at least six to ten shades whiter, even more. To complete the procedure, a five minute fluoride treatment is applied.

How does Zoom work?

The Zoom! gel was developed after years of research by Discus Dental, the leader in professional take-home tooth whitening. It is scientifically formulated, pH balanced. When activated, it gently penetrates the teeth to remove deeps stains and discoloration. Extensive research and studies have indicated that whitening teeth under the supervision of a dentist is extremely safe. in fact, teeth whitening is considered the safest cosmetic dental procedure available. However, Zoom! is not recommended for children under 13 years of age, pregnant and lactating women.

To keep the results for a long time, it is recommended to brush your teeth twice a day with Zoom! Whitening Toothpaste and do occasional touch-ups with Zoom! take-home gel. The products are available only through a dentist. Zoom! is proven to whiten the teeth eight shades in one hour or six-shades in a weekend. The procedure takes over an hour. It begins with the preparation period, followed by one hour of bleaching and five minutes of fluoride treatment.