This advanced form of clinical teeth whitening has benefits that may make it more suitable for your needs than either home-based whitening methods or laser teeth whitening. Here are some key points to understand about it.

The first step in the Zoom process involves an initial dental evaluation in which the dentist determines whether you'll benefit from this form of whitening. If you have crowns or veneers, for instance, they will not whiten along with your natural teeth. If you plan to get these in the future, however, preliminary whitening makes good sense.

Once the dentist has confirmed that you can benefit from Zoom teeth whitening, a protective sheet will go over your gums, with the teeth exposed to receive the bleaching agent. A gel of hydrogen peroxide goes onto the teeth for 15 minutes at a time, for a total of three applications, while you simply relax in the chair.

During these 15-minute applications, the dentist will aim a UV light at the gel. This energy causes oxidation, which helps the peroxide penetrate the tooth enamel and eliminate stains more thoroughly.

Following your Zoom procedure, you'll undergo a fluoride treatment and receive a set of customized whitening trays (for touch-up purposes). The dentist may also caution you to avoid known staining agents such as tobacco, coffee, and red wine.

You'll find a dramatic difference between the experience you get from Zoom whitening versus home teeth whitening products. These products usually include strips or trays that contain a weak peroxide solution. You mold these products to your teeth as best you can and wear them an hour a day for 7 to 10 days.

In addition to the time and effort required, home whitening products produce less satisfactory results than Zoom professional teeth whitening. The imperfect fit of the products may leave some nooks and crannies less white than others, while the peroxide solution can burn sensitive gum tissues when inexpertly applied. 

Zoom uses a much stronger peroxide bleaching agent than home products can offer, with a concentration of 25 percent. At the same time, the dentist can protect your gums from this bleaching agent by first applying a protective cover to them.

The stronger solution provides greater whitening power in a relatively short amount of time, which gives you the bright smile you seek in a single dental appointment. The more precise application also allows for more even coverage and a more consistently white smile.

Under certain conditions, your dentist may actually recommend home whitening techniques for your particular needs. For example, breastfeeding or pregnant women should use home methods instead of professional teeth whitening methods, even if those methods work less effectively.

Zoom shares many things in common with laser teeth whitening, and you might easily get these two procedures confused. Both combine the professional application of medical-grade peroxide solution with the use of light to cure the solution, which whitens teeth quickly and efficiently.

The main difference between these two techniques regards the type of light used to cure the bleaching agent. Instead of the UV light common to the Zoom technique, laser teeth whitening employs the amplified light of a laser beam, passing the beam carefully over each tooth one at a time. 

The Zoom technique offers a couple of advantages over laser teeth whitening. Because the UV light doesn't carry any thermal energy, the dentist doesn't risk overheating the teeth, a problem that may occur when a laser is used. Zoom also costs about half as much, on average, as laser teeth whitening.

As with other kinds of teeth whitening, Zoom may not work well for every kind of discoloration. If you have tetracycline stains, for instance, you may get better results by having veneers applied to the visible sides of the teeth.

Aico's Dental Group proudly offers the Zoom Chairside Whitening System. Contact us to learn more.