The Zoom! ™ teeth whitening system.
(Zoom! ™, Zoom2 ™ and Zoom! Advanced Power Plus ™)

The Zoom! ™ Chairside Teeth Whitening System is Discus Dental, Inc.'s entry in the professional teeth whitening products marketplace. This is an all-inclusive whitening system. By this we mean that Discus Dental, Inc. supplies a dentist with all of the needed bleaching materials: the tooth whitener, the bleaching light, and even many of the disposable and single patient use items that your dentist will need when performing Zoom! ™ whitening treatments. (Discus Dental, Inc. also manufactures the BriteSmile ® teeth whitening system.)

What type of tooth whitener is used with the Zoom! ™ teeth whitening system?

The original Zoom! ™ whitening system uses a hydrogen peroxide-based tooth whitener. This product comes prepackaged as two individual components, a 32% hydrogen peroxide gel and a proprietary "activator." These two components are then mixed at the time of application to form a working gel that has a 25% concentration of hydrogen peroxide and a pH between 7.5 and 9. The Zoom2 ™ teeth whitening system gives the dentist the opportunity to utilize either a 16 or 25% whitener.Zoom! Advanced Power Plus ™ utilizes a 25% hydrogen peroxide whitener.
(More about the characteristics of professional teeth whiteners...)

Is a bleaching light or laser used with the Zoom! ™ teeth whitening process?

The Zoom! ™ teeth whitening system protocol includes the use of a mercury metal halide light. Information from Discus Dental, Inc. indicates that the wavelength of the light emitted from their bleaching units is in the range of 350-400nm (meaning that the light has a violet coloration). The implication associated with the use of a bleaching light is that the company believes that light of this specific wavelength activates some aspect of the Zoom! ™ tooth whitener so to enhance its whitening effect.
(More about bleaching lights used with profession teeth whitening systems and why they may not be needed...)

The Zoom! light unit has an infrared filter. This is significant because filtering infrared emissions helps to minimize the amount of heat generated at the surface of the teeth during the whitening treatment. When the Zoom! ™ bleaching light is placed into position it is capable of illuminating all of the teeth being treated (both upper and lower) simultaneously.

Does the Zoom! ™ bleaching light produce a heating effect on the teeth being whitened?

Evaluations have shown that the Zoom! ™ bleaching light does not create a significant temperature change in the patient's teeth during the bleaching treatment.
(More about why it is important that a bleaching light does not produce a significant heating effect...)

How much did your dentist's Zoom! ™ bleaching light cost?

Just out of curiosity and for your own information, your dentist probably paid in excess of $1,500.00 for their Zoom! ™ teeth whitening system bleaching light.
(More about lasers and lights used with profession teeth whitening systems and why a bleaching light may not be needed...)

How long does it take your dentist to perform a Zoom! ™ Chairside Teeth Whitening System treatment?

Original Zoom! ™ teeth whitening system treatments usually take about 90 minutes from start to finish. Each bleaching session is broken down into three individual applications of the Zoom! ™ teeth whitener, with the duration of each application being 20 minutes. This means that the cumulative exposure of the patient's teeth to the Zoom! ™ teeth whitening gel is 60 minutes. Pre and post treatment preparations and activities round the total treatment time up to about 90 minutes.

With the Zoom2 ™ and Zoom! Advanced Power Plus ™ systems each whitening session is broken down into three 15 minute applications of whitener, for a cumulative exposure time of 45 minutes. Pre and post treatment preparations and activities round the total treatment time up to a little over 60 minutes when the Zoom2 ™ whitening process is used.

Does the Zoom! ™ teeth whitening system recommend the use of at-home teeth whitening treatments?

At the completion of the Zoom! teeth whitening treatment additional whitener (tray-based teeth whitening product) is given to the patient so they can continue the bleaching process at home. With the Zoom! Advanced Power Plus ™ system Discus' instructions have been changed so to include the recommendation that the patient perform at-home tray-based treatments both before and after the in-office whitening session.
(More about the use and purpose of at-home teeth whiteners after professional teeth whitening treatments...)

What are the individual steps of the Zoom! ™ chairside teeth whitening system?

The procedure your dentist follows when performing Zoom! ™ chairside teeth whitening system treatments does not vary greatly from those general steps we illustrate and describe for the typical professional teeth whitening process. Specifically, however, as you read through our pages please note that the Zoom! ™ whitening system does include the use of a paint on dental dam, "activation" of the whitening gel with a bleaching light, post treatment application of fluoride (1.1% neutral sodium fluoride gel), and continued teeth whitening treatments with an at-home whitener.

Should you choose the Zoom! chairside teeth whitening system?

This is a decision that needs to be made with the help of the dentist who will perform the whitening treatments but yes, generally speaking, the Zoom! ™ teeth whitening system is a fine product and is made by a company that seems to have a sincere interest in producing a quality product. The results a patient experiences with the Zoom! ™ chairside teeth whitening system should be as good as with any other quality professional teeth whitening products.
(More about how to choose a professional teeth whitening system...)