Are Tooth Gaps Harmful?
A tooth gap might be popular with some celebrities, but not all tooth gaps are a sign of a healthy smile. Here’s how to tell if your tooth gap needs to be treated to protect your oral health.
Many of our patients whiten their teeth to improve their self-esteem and/or look their best for a special occasion. Either way, we can help you achieve a beautiful white smile in as little as one appointment with Zoom. Zoom whitening can whiten your teeth by up to 8 shades in ONE appointment!
Here’s what you can expect during the Zoom whitening procedure.
If you have ever felt self-conscious about tooth discoloration, you owe it to yourself to speak with our cosmetic dentist. He’ll be able to tell you if you are a candidate for Zoom teeth whitening.
While most people qualify for Zoom whitening, our dentist may be concerned if you have a history of tooth sensitivity or gum disease. For example, patients with periodontitis may want to reconsider professional teeth whitening techniques that could irritate their gums.
Learn More: 3 Myths About Natural Teeth Whitening >>
First, our dentist will cover your gums and lips to protect them from the whitening gel. Once your mouth is ready, the Zoom whitening gel will be applied to your teeth and activated with our WhiteSpeed blue LED lamp. The whitening gel contains hydrogen peroxide, which oxidizes under the LED light and lifts tooth stains.
The Zoom whitening procedure takes about 45 minutes but is broken up into three 15-minute sessions. After each session, more whitening gel will be added to your teeth before the LED light is turned back on.
During the sessions, you may feel free to relax or listen to music to pass the time. After you have completed the third session, a special fluoride gel is applied to your teeth to reduce sensitivity.
Some “Zingers”
During the teeth whitening procedure, you may experience what we call “zingers.” Zingers are brief flashes of pain that happen when the nerves in your teeth react to the whitening process. These “zingers” can continue even after you leave the office, which is why we often recommend patients take pain relievers.
If you experience pain during Zoom whitening, please do not hesitate to alert our dentist. You have the power to stop the procedure at any time if you feel the pain is too much. Different people have different pain tolerances, which is why we typically don’t recommend Zoom whitening for patients with sensitive teeth.
After your appointment, you will be given a kit that contains custom teeth whitening trays. The teeth whitening trays are for you to use at home so you can maintain your beautiful white smile. Our dentist will also ask you to stay away from foods and beverages that can stain your teeth, such as coffee and red wine.
For the rest of the day, you may experience brief flashes of pain that can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Teeth whitening is not permanent. This is why it’s important you take good care of your smile. Continue brushing your teeth twice a day and floss once daily to remove dental plaque. We also recommend seeing us at least every 6 months for your oral examination and teeth cleaning.
A healthy smile is a beautiful smile.
Dr. Marvin Taylor is a teeth whitening dentist in Waterford, MI. To request an appointment and learn if you’re a candidate for Zoom, call Dr. Taylor’s Family Dental Center at (248) 681-8100.
