Comparing Take-Home to Zoom Whitening
There are two basic methods of teeth whitening. Back in the 1980s, leading cosmetic dentists popularized the in-office whitening system that involved placing a peroxide solution on the teeth and applying a light to the teeth. Then in the 1990s it was discovered that patients could simply wear a close-fitting tray, put a peroxide gel in the tray and wear it either overnight or for as long as they wanted during the day. This system was just as effective, producing teeth that were just as white as with the bleaching light.
The latest version of the in-office bleaching with the light is the Zoom whitening system. Dr. Root has used this system, but doesn’t use it any more. It has some significant drawbacks.
Zoom Whitening Drawbacks
In recent years, in experiments bleaching teeth with and without a light, it has been discovered that the light doesn’t add any effectiveness at all to the whitening. Many practices continue to use the light because it helps patients feel like it is effective. However, the light does contribute to drying out the teeth which has two significant effects. Drying out the teeth increases post-operative sensitivity. But it has marketing value in that it temporarily increases the level of whiteness. This sends patients out of the office with dramatically whiter teeth, a whiteness that will fade over a couple of days, but nevertheless gives a feeling of a dramatic effect.
Also, since in-office whitening ties up a treatment chair for as long as two hours, the fee for the service needs to cover that time, making Zoom or similar whitening systems significantly more expensive.
For whiter teeth, feel free to call our office. We are here to help you find an appointment time that fits your schedule. We’ll also be happy to call you, if you’d like to complete our online Request an Appointment form and leave us your phone number.