Reverse the effects of staining from food and drinks, aging, and medications with Zoom! This is an in-office whitening system that provides instant results. It is more effective than over-the-counter methods. Possibility to lighten your teeth up to 8 shades in just two hours.

​

Comparing OTC with Professional Dental Whitening Procedures

​

While the over the counter ("OTC") marketplace offers dozens of products such as teeth whitening toothpaste, gel strips and home use whitener trays, these will provide gradual, though somewhat marginal tooth whitening over time.

 

Drawbacks include negative reactions that result in increased tooth sensitivity.  In other cases, the trays sold in at-home teeth whitening kits aren't custom-made, so they are likely to cause irritation in the gums. OTC teeth whiteners work on the tough outer surface of tooth enamel, so it's important to understand that use of these can make your natural teeth whiter than nearby crowns and fillings.  In addition, use of OTC whiteners in combination with whitening toothpaste can result in a grey tooth color, as opposed to white.  Hence, care should be taken when using OTC tooth whitening solutions.

 

In contrast to the above, Dr. Coulter often uses custom-made dental trays filled with a professional grade tooth bleaching solution that fits correctly over your teeth to achieve optimal results. It's important to note that in professional dental whitening procedures, Dr. Coulter uses a stronger bleaching solution paired with either a heat source or specialized ultra-violet lighting to complete the whitening process at the Coulter Family Dentistry office. In certain cases, Dr. Coulter may recommend custom-made whitening trays that you can use at home to further improve results, so your teeth can whiten more quickly. Dr. Coulter also takes care so that sensitive gums will not become irritated.

 

When Dr. Coulter evaluates a patient for teeth whitening procedures, a prognosis as to the type of staining involved focuses first on two types of staining, better known as Extrinsic Staining or Intrinsic Staining.  Extrinsic staining are stains typically effecting the surface of the teeth. Extrinsic staining is often caused by behaviors like tobacco use or consumption of highly pigmented foods, or beverages such as red wine, coffee, tea or cola drinks.  

 

In contrast, intrinsic staining involves surfaces beneath the tooth enamel. Intrinsic staining is often related to aging, where the age-related thinning of enamel allows the more yellow dentin to show through.  In other cases, the long-term use of antibiotic use (i.e., tetracycline) can have similar impacts. The type of intrinsic staining also can affect the length of and/or number of treatments required to arrive as close as possible to the desired result.  For example, staining due to tetracycline may require treatments of up to six months.

 

Temporary tooth sensitivity and gingival inflammation are potential adverse effects associated with professional whitening, but when compared with the potential downside of use of OTC whitening products, professional whitening invariably delivers the best overall results.