Zoom is an in-office whitening system: a hydrogen-peroxide gel applied to your teeth and activated by a lamp, in three or four short cycles over about an hour. It is the fastest whitening we offer, and the only one where a clinician is watching your gums the whole time. Most patients see several shades of change in one appointment.
What the appointment involves
- A quick check first. Whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, and it only works safely on a healthy mouth. We look for untreated decay, gum inflammation and exposed root surfaces before anything starts. If something needs treating first, we will say so.
- Protecting the soft tissue. Your lips and cheeks are retracted and a barrier is placed along the gumline. This is the step that separates in-office whitening from a kit — the gel is strong, and the gums need to be kept out of it.
- Three or four 15-minute cycles. Gel on, lamp on, gel off, repeat. You can listen to something; there is nothing for you to do. We stop early if you have had enough sensitivity.
- A fluoride finish. A desensitising fluoride treatment goes on at the end, which noticeably reduces the zingy sensitivity some patients get afterwards.
- Custom take-home trays. Most patients leave with trays and gel for occasional top-ups, which is what keeps the result going.
Plan on about 90 minutes in the building.
What Zoom will and will not change
Whitening lifts stain out of natural enamel. It has no effect on dental work. That matters more than people expect:
- Works well on yellowing from age, and stain from coffee, tea, red wine, curry and tobacco.
- Works less predictably on grey-toned teeth, tetracycline staining and white fluorosis spots. These can improve, but the change is usually smaller and takes longer.
- Does not work on crowns, veneers, bonding or tooth-coloured fillings. If you whiten and you have a front crown, the crown will stay the shade it was and may then look darker by comparison. That is a reason to plan the order of treatment, not a reason to avoid whitening — see porcelain veneers and dental bonding.
Sensitivity, honestly
Some sensitivity during and after whitening is normal and it is temporary. It usually feels like brief cold zings for 24 to 48 hours. The fluoride finish, a desensitising toothpaste for the week before, and spacing the cycles all reduce it. If you already have sensitive teeth, tell us before we start — we can shorten the cycles or switch you to a gentler take-home plan instead. More on this: whitening with sensitive teeth.
How long the result lasts
Realistically, one to three years, and it depends almost entirely on what you drink and whether you smoke. Daily coffee or tea will pull the shade back faster. Occasional top-ups with your take-home trays are what keep it where you want it, and they take a fraction of the effort of starting again. Full detail: how long does teeth whitening last?
Zoom, take-home trays or a supermarket kit
Zoom gives the biggest change in the least time, with your gums protected and a clinician present. Custom take-home trays reach a similar result over one to two weeks, are gentler on sensitive teeth, and cost less. Over-the-counter strips are the weakest of the three, do not fit the shape of your teeth, and are the most likely to irritate the gums — but they are cheap and they do something. We will tell you which of the three actually suits your case; it is not always Zoom. Compare them on our professional teeth whitening page.
What it costs
Whitening is cosmetic, so dental insurance does not normally cover it. You get the price at your consultation, along with what take-home trays would cost as an alternative or an add-on. CareCredit, Cherry, Alphaeon and Sunbit are accepted — see patient information.
Whitening in West Covina
We are at 436 N. Sunset Ave, West Covina, CA 91790. Whitening patients come to us from Covina, Baldwin Park, La Puente, El Monte and Rowland Heights. Whitening is often one step in a larger plan — see cosmetic dentistry and smile makeovers.