My Professional Teeth Whitening Experience
I have always wanted a brighter smile. I tried whitening strips and toothpastes but never found them effective. Since starting with a new dentist in Los Angeles about year ago, I started researching their whitening procedures. My dentist offers the Philips Zoom! treatment, which lightens your teeth up to 8 shades in 45 minutes.
There were a few reasons why I waited until now to get the procedure done. I was worried about sensitivity, the price, and future staining. My teeth are not sensitive, but I have a reasonable fear of unnecessary pain (😂). The procedure costs $490. This is expensive considering the benefits are solely cosmetic. Finally, I didn’t want to re-do the process if it didn’t work the first time. I have straight teeth thanks to my parents and years of braces, so I thought it made sense to invest more in my smile.
The Procedure
That morning, I got a cleaning and the technician took a mold of my teeth. This was the worst part of the office procedure. I have a small mouth and found the mold really uncomfortable. Next, an ointment was applied to my lips and the retractor put into place. The technician applied gum protectant and the bleaching solution. Lastly, a laser was put on top.
I was nervous about the sensitivity, but the office process wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated. I had one “stinger” within the first few minutes, which is a sharp pain in your teeth from the bleach. The technician lowered the power from high to medium for the last two 15 minute rounds. All in all, the procedure was fairly quick and painless. It took about 2.5 hours to get my teeth cleaned and whitened. My teeth looked beautiful and white, and I was really happy with how they turned out. I left the office with retainer-like trays for a few days of home whitening.
After the Zoom! Treatment
The pain started a few hours later. I got stingers for about three hours after whitening, which became increasingly uncomfortable. It felt like my braces had been tightened too much and I had a constant headache. Even with Motrin and the relief gel provided by the dentist, the discomfort would not subside. Luckily, I could eat and drink with no sensitivity. After two days of home treatment, the dentist recommended that I stop the trays until the pain subsided. I felt much better as soon as I stopped the home whitening. My tooth sensitivity went away in less than a day.
Final Results
I am happy with how my teeth turned out. They look white and bright. The price was absolutely worth it for the results. I am glad the office procedure was quick and painless, however, I did not like the amount of pain that I endured. It was uncomfortable and unnecessary and my smile will be covered by a mask for the next few months. I have a very high pain tolerance, so I was surprised by how much the whitening affected me. It was also frustrating to avoid a long list of staining foods and drinks for seven days: coffee, tea, red sauce, and berries. Fortunately, the technician said that if I do the at home whitening every few months, I won’t have to do the Zoom in office treatment again (whew!). I will try the trays again in a few weeks.
If you are looking to whiten your smile, I recommend trying home alternatives first. Everyone has a different reaction to Zoom! and I have heard positive stories with this treatment.
If I had the chance to do this over, 🙅🏼♀️ lol…
I see Dr. Doug Johnson at Dr. Bill Dorfman’s Aesthetic Dentistry Practice in Century City. Dr. Johnson is a great dentist and he was very responsive to my concerns.
Have you gotten your teeth whitened? What was your experience like? Let me know in the comments below! 👇
