Worth It! - I was offered the Zoom treatment for free with checkup - Las Vegas, NV

I was offered the Zoom treatment for free with checkup. I knew that the office was going to recommend that I get some other dental procedures, but by not having gone to a dentist for 20 years, I knew that getting away free was not an option for me. Believe it or not, no cavities! I had a deep cleaning (which was *badly* needed), and afterwards began a month long regimen of brushing and flossing with flouride rinses to keep up on the work done. On the day of the Zoom treatment I received a regular cleaning and polishing to remove as much staining as possible. I have been a religious coffee drinker and had bleeding gums for longer than I can remember. After the deep cleaning, I still had yellow teeth, but MUCH better looking than I could ever remember. After the month of good teeth cleaning on my part, the tops of my lower teeth were actually translucent from cleaning away the stains. I had high hopes for the treatment to make my teeth really white, but I knew that I may only get 1 or 2 shades whiter. A friend had gone through the Zoom treatment a couple of months ago (with in my opinion lackluster results for whatever reason) and from her experience I was prepared for the tooth sensitivity. I have never used a gel product as I had heard and read they could soften enamel and make teeth very sensitive so I was hoping for an experience no worse than what I had heard from friends who used gels in the past. During the prep, which is extensive, the worst part of which is the blue gel compound they put on to protect the gum line to the gauze. It feels like the gel is cooking when they use the UV light on it, but was not painful and the discomfort was gone quickly once the light was removed. Once into the procedure I did begin to feel some "zingers" in my lower teeth. My lower teeth did wind up whiter than my upper teeth, so that they are the most "out of sorts" is understandable. I wanted to quit after the first period (moreso after the second), but not from pain... just a general uneasiness. I attribute that to nervous system reaction to what was going on. Even if I didn't actually register what was going on, I felt my body was able to acknowledge it and it came out as uneasiness. It felt like a skin crawling "I want to get out of here" reaction. I get the same feeling when going through the deep cleaning with that ultrasonic tool buzzing away deep in my mouth... makes you want to bolt for the door! LOL. I toughed the whole thing out though. I wanted to get that gel off my teeth ASAP (doesn't taste good), so I knew I was going to be brushing soon after, i.e. I was ready for real sensitivity. What I saw when I looked in the mirror was better than I could have imagined. I saw what some here described as the over-white areas (those that for me were translucent prior to treatment), but I saw some areas that were still light yellow (areas that were still a bit brown prior). I can see where when it all settles out I will still have a very very light shade of yellowness, but much less than what I had... provided of course that I avoid re-staining. I was told 48 hours, but I have read here that going 2 weeks is best. We'll see how well I do. I have the flouride rinse, so maybe that will help with the sensitivity. I took acetaminophen, and it has helped, but I am still getting some occasional "zingers". I get to go back in couple of days for a couple of crowns for my top front teeth, so after all this the cosmetic dentist will have what I figure to be more than a couple of grand in out of pocket and insurance money, so giving a free bleaching is just good business. Overall I am very happy since I have had little to smile about with my *formerly* ugly teeth.