Philips ZOOM Teeth Whitening

Our case of the month November 2022 involves the use of one of our favourite techniques: Philips ZOOM LED teeth whitening. Tooth whitening has been around for many years and there are lots of different systems on the market today. It is probably the most popular cosmetic dental treatment available and for good reason; everyone deserves whiter teeth! The treatment is safe, minimally invasive, easy to maintain and very affordable.

The first step, as with any cosmetic dental treatment, is a full assessment. It is important to note that tooth whitening will only work on healthy enamel. That is to say that fillings, crowns, bridges, root filled teeth, dental implants, ceramic inlays and onlays will not whiten. This may sound obvious, but if you have multiple restored teeth, the results of whitening can vary considerably. It is important to manage expectations and communicate effectively. We will take intra oral scans of your teeth and photographs. With our Trios 3 scanner, we have the ability to accurately measure the shade of your teeth digitally. The scans are also important because we can 3-D print the models and customise teeth whitening trays before the next appointment.

We will also advise a dental hygienist session prior to the in surgery whitening appointment. This is because dental plaque and calculus will act as a barrier to the whitening gel which will prevent effective treatment. Tooth stains will also not whiten and it is important that the gum health is sound prior to any dental procedure, whether this be cosmetic based or routine dental care.

On the day of the appointment, we advise that you bring some blue tooth headphones and listen to music either from your phone or linked to our PC. The session usually takes 90 minutes in total. Firstly, a retractor will be placed which will go under the lips and around the cheeks. Gauze will then be placed around the soft tissues for protection and a liquid dam placed to seal around the gum line. Now the Philips whitening gel can be painted on to the teeth, which is 6% hydrogen peroxide with light activators. The LED light is then initiated which is positioned over the teeth for 15 minutes. After this time, the gel is cleaned off and re applied. This process can be repeated 4 times.

Once the treatment is complete, it is time for the clean up and to show off your new pearly whites! In most cases, we can whiten teeth by 3-4 shades. By then using the take home kit which will be provided, a further 1-2 shades lighter can be achieved.

In the past, teeth sensitivity was a common concern with teeth whitening procedures. This was because traditional halogen lights generated heat, which could irritate nerves and cause discomfort. However, Zoom now utilizes LED light technology. LED lights produce significantly less heat, minimizing the risk of tooth sensitivity during the procedure. Additionally, the whitening gel itself contains desensitizers to further reduce potential discomfort.

If you suffer from sensitive teeth in general, we will generally advise that you use sensitive tooth gels within the home whitening trays first for a week or longer to de sensitise first. Lasers can also be used to help with this. This is one of the reasons why a full dental examination is needed first so that these issues can be addressed prior to any treatment.

Please take a look at our case of the month for November 2022:

Our fee is £499 which includes a take home kit of whitening trays and Philips ZOOM gel which has been at the same level for over 5 years!

If you would like to take advantage of this fixed price and start your journey to whiter teeth, please contact us today.