Set Off That Summer Tan with Professional Teeth Whitening

Nothing shows off your smile quite like a beautiful summer tan. But are your teeth ready for the spotlight? If not, it’s time to compliment your tan with dazzling teeth that you can only get with professional teeth whitening.

You won’t need to forfeit any beach time when you choose teeth whitening with the Philips Zoom!® system. At Dentistry With a Smile in Livingston, New Jersey, Maria Victoria Sebastian, DDS, uses Zoom! because it can lighten your teeth by up to eight shades, in just one office visit.

Here’s what happens during your professional teeth whitening with Zoom!.

Before your Zoom! teeth whitening

If you haven’t had a dental checkup in the last six months, we may ask you to schedule an exam before your teeth whitening. If that sounds like a bother, know that we do it to protect your teeth, prevent possible problems, and set the stage for getting the most from your teeth whitening.

We want to be sure you don’t have cavities or small cracks in the enamel that would let the powerful whitening agent reach the sensitive pulp inside your tooth (where the nerves and blood vessels reside).

The active ingredient in Zoom!, hydrogen peroxide, does a great job of eliminating stains at the surface. But it can cause tissue damage, inflammation, and pain if it gets to the pulp.

Zoom! teeth whitening process

Now that you’re ready to brighten your teeth, here’s what happens:

Step 1: Choosing your best shade

We use a visual shade guide, holding it up to your teeth so you can identify their current shade. Then you can use the shade range to decide how light you want to go during your teeth whitening. We can also take before-and-after photos so you’ll see the dramatic change after your teeth whitening.

Step 2: Protecting your soft tissues

One of the challenges of using a teeth whitening product at home is that the product can easily come into contact with the soft tissues. Hydrogen peroxide irritates the delicate tissues in your gums and lips. That’s why we begin by using specialized dental devices to protect your mouth from the bleaching agent.

Step 3: Applying the Zoom! gel

We precisely apply the whitening gel to your teeth, making sure the entire outer surface is covered with the active ingredient.

Though tooth enamel is incredibly strong, it's also a little porous. That’s how pigments from foods, beverages, and cigarettes can seep into the enamel and stain your teeth.

The hydrogen peroxide penetrates the pores, breaks apart the stains, and lifts them from your teeth.

Step 4: Exposing your teeth to the light

After the whitener is on your teeth, we place a blue LED light in front of your mouth and shine it on your teeth. Zoom! produces fast results because the light accelerates the whitening action of the gel.

Step 5: Relaxing for 15 minutes

You relax in the chair while the light and hydrogen peroxide go to work. After 15 minutes, we remove the gel and check the shade of your teeth.

We repeat the same process if needed to get your teeth to your chosen shade, reapplying the gel and shining the light for another 15 minutes. You should achieve the results you want in two or three 15-minute sessions. However, we can do a fourth session if necessary.

Step 6: Applying a protective gel

After removing the last of the whitening gel, we apply the Zoom! sensitivity relief formula to each tooth. This special product reduces or prevents temporary tooth sensitivity that frequently occurs after teeth whitening.

Ready to set off your summer tan with whiter, brighter teeth? Call Dentistry With a Smile or book an appointment online today.