Prior to whitening, the patient will usually have their teeth thoroughly cleaned to remove plaque build-up and topical stains. After teeth are polished, the patient will have a clean slate to help determine if teeth whitening will be beneficial. A dental exam will follow to check for any problems that will present complications during the whitening process such as excessive gum recession, breaches in dental enamel, or general health concerns.
A discussion regarding upcoming cosmetic dental needs will often take place. If dental crowns, veneers, or any cosmetic procedures are recommended, whitening should always occur first. That will allow your cosmetic dentist to match your restoration to your newly whitened dentition.
When the patient is ready to undergo Zoom teeth whitening, the patient is prepped for the procedure. If there was a concern regarding sensitivity, the patient may have been advised to use a tooth paste geared toward reducing tooth sensitivity for a couple of weeks prior to the whitening procedure.
The patient will have the gums and soft tissues barricaded to prevent exposure to the whitening gel. With only the teeth exposed, the cosmetic dentist will cover the teeth with the gel compound and apply a Zoom laser or curing light to the teeth for fifteen minutes.
Quite often, this one 15 minute session will suffice. But for more desirable whitening or more stubborn stains, the gel and light application may be repeated up to a total of three times. The zinging sensation that may occur will dissipate usually at the completion of the whitening session (or at most within a couple of days).
With Zoom teeth whitening, the process continues to work on dental enamel for up to a couple of weeks so the end result may not be completely evident immediately.
To maintain the effects of whitening avoid or limit the things that contribute to dental staining … tea, coffee, cola, red wine, tobacco, and foods that contain dark pigment like beets or tomato sauce. Zoom touch-up kits are available to keep teeth gleaming between dental visits with our experienced cosmetic team.
