“Like Any Procedure....find a Good Dentist”

I stubbled across this site after I had scheduled the procedure. After reading some of these reviews...I obviously became a bit concerned.

I scheduled a consultation with the Dentist before the procedure. I asked questions like how many of his patients experienced significant pain or prolonged (24hr+ sensitivity). His answers may assist anyone considering having this done.

He indicated about 75% of his patients experience some sensitivity during the procedure but only a small percentage (<5%) request to stop before it is completed. While a very small percentage of patients had sensativity that lasted longer then 24hrs, he had not had any that had come in more then a week after still complaining of this problem.

As far as extended pain, he indicated this had never been an issue for any of his patients (he's been performing this for years).

When I asked specifically about some of the issues described in other reviews here, he indicated that there was likely some underlying issue that contributed to the problem. The bleaching material used is hydrogen peroxide based. This is the same ingredient in the over the counter "white strips", except in much higher concentration (24% vs 4% I believe). In healthy teeth, your enamel protects the rest of the tooth from the hydrogen peroxide. If however, you have a loose filing or cavity, then the peroxide may get in contact with the dentine and cause discomfort.

He also suggested that the primary benefit of Zoom is the speed. If you dont need results in one day and/or are concerned about the procedure, he indicated the "at home" version, where you apply a lower concentration solution for a couple of hours per day for 2 weeks, produces exactly the same results.

After the consultation I decided to procede with the in-office "Zoom" procedure. I experienced mild sensativity during the process. There were two areas of my gums that had a burning sensation, similar to a mild chemical burn. It was not overly painful but was uncomfortable and made worse when the light was applied. I mentioned this to the Dental Assistant who applied more protective material to the gums in question. Other then sitting is a chair for 1 hour with a bunch of stuff in your mouth, the procedure wasn't that different (in terms of comfort) then most other dental procedure.

Upon completion I had gone up 10 shades. My teeth looked great. I took advil twice, never had any pain other then one very short "zinger" about 3 hours after the procedure. The zinger was similar to bitting down of aluminum foil, unpleasant, but it lasted only a couple of seconds. No sensitivity issues to hot or cold even immediately following. I avoided red wine, coffee, berries, etc for 48 hrs and am still very happy with the results. You will regress slightly after day 2 or 3 but should still be much whiter then before the procedure.

The only issue I had was there were two areas of my gum, where I experienced the buring sessation, that had not been fully protected at the start of the procedure. These areas felt like I had burned them with hot coffee and took 2 days to return to normal. My lips also felt dry for a couple of days but not painful.

Overall I would recommend it but, make sure you have a Dentist you trust expect your mouth before the procedure. Also, if you are not in a hurry and are concerned, look into the "at home" option which will give you more control and the option to stop if things get uncomfortable.