professional teeth whitening

I had Zoom (laser whitening), 500 quid and I ended up with blisters and swelling from the UV light. Don't do it. Have the trays done, it's cheaper and you get the same result, just takes a bit longer. Also, it goes without saying but have it done by a proper dentist.

My results are great though and I don't regret it, I just wouldn't recommend the laser part. I've already posted pics of my teeth on another thread recently but to show you the colour difference here they are again.

Before:

After:

They look great but i def don't want any suffering. from what i remember - (but then i had a dream abut it which confused me!) they have a tooth mask gum shield thingy that you wear every night for 2 weeks which prepares and conditions the teeth - and then... dunno - something back in the surgery - was it a laser - i don't remember it being laser. Wait, i have the leaflet somewhere... nope can't find it. argh. anyway. thanks for this info - i will look into it some more (don't know why since i can't afford it but you never know ...)

I agree completly with what Dr Svensk Tiger said. The Zoom whitening can leave your teeth very cold sens and painful after treatment.. The trays & gel is a much more gentle way to bleach your teeth. It does take longer (approx 12-14 applications). The other thing with the Zoom whitening is when the teeth start to look yellow again & not as white as they did you would have to have the whole treatment redone. Wheras the gel can be reapplied for a few nights to top-up & brighten the colour. Please have it done by a Dentist, it is much cheaper to go to a beauty therapist or hairdresser, but they're not qualified to do it. Also don't buy gel from the internet! You have no idea of the strength of the peroxide in the gel & could end up doing quite a lot of damage.

Just to go against the grain, I recently had Zoom whitening done and I was delighted with the results. Years of smoking had made my teeth very discoloured and they look so much better now. I didn't find the treatment painful at all. I did get some shooting nerve type pains during the hours afterwards, but they were mild - I took two paracetamol and when I woke the next morning they were fine. I've had no pain or sensitivity sense.

I found a dental practice in London which were doing a special offer of £199, which is what made me do it finally!

Ostrich - I didn't find the treatment painful either and haven't had any sensitivity but I was badly burnt by the laser resulting in swelling, blisters, a massive cold sore and general agony (I couldn't eat or speak properly) for over a week afterwards. Apparently this is not uncommon although I wasn't warned of the risks beforehand. I love my results but the trays alone give the same result, albeit over a longer period of time, so I always advise to go with that rather than risk being burnt.

I asked my dentist about this- I have flourosis (sp?) which means a few of my teeth are darker with white 'dots' on them. I was hoping the treatments would bring the darker part of the tooth up to the whiteness of the spots, iyswim.

Lovely dentist has warned me that sometimes teeth can't GO much lighter, if they aren't especially stained, as it's down to the density of the tooth (I think). He did, however, say that treatments could even things up a bit for me .

He recommended the trays over the lasers, as 1) It was cheaper 2) I could 'top up' by just buying more gel from him if I felt it was needed in the future 3) I can control how white I want my gnashers to get (as in stop before I look like Jodie Marsh)

HTH

Our practice does both the UV light in surgery bleaching (what people think is laser) and the tray systems. The tray system is by far the best for long term results.

An inexperienced dentist (at bleaching) can burn you using the strong gels with in surgery bleaching so it is very common for this to happen. Its usually caused by the patient moving or having tongue thrust at the wrong moment.

We charge £250 for our tray system as its got a summer offer on however it is roughly 250 - 350 in most practices,

Hubble, your dentist may offer interest free finance?

I have the tray system for overnight use from my dentist. Probably just as well, as I find my teeth are a bit sensitive with this (and its meant to be far less painful than the one stop version) - can't imagine what they would have been like had I had the one step system (whatever it is that they do in the dentist's surgery). As it is, I use the trays for half an hour once a month to top up. I don't smoke or drink coffee - I think my teeth yellowing is age related. (Weep, I'm only in my mid 30s..)

Advantage of the tray system is you can stop when you've got the colour you want. So if you want something cleaner looking but not Clarke Kent white, you can just use half of the gel and then just top up a few months down the line. That said - I'm not entirely convinced the dentist's system is that much better than the stuff you can get at the chemist. Perhaps they are harsher on your teeth - but I've had the same result from Boots as I've had from the dentist.

I paid £400 I think - but this would have been after my insurance paid for the trays (they are classified as 'medical and necessary' apparently...) If I were you I'd be tempted to try out one of the tray systems from Boots first (about £20 I think), and see if that is good enough for you.

That's interesting. My dentist (young and brand new from dental school) refused to take any responsibility for what happened to me . Actually the practice were dreadful full stop, I went back the next day with massively swollen, blistered lips and the practice manager told me she couldn't see anything wrong ?). Although she (dentist) did give me 100 pounds worth of gel extra free to go with my trays.

This was at a private practice in Edinburgh, am I right in thinking you're in Edinburgh (though hopefully not at this practice ?)?

Also, people keep talking about UV versus trays. I had both and still use the trays for top ups, I assumed this was normal?

Dr Svensk Tiger, you are right, i'm a private practice in Edinburgh. Frederick Street.

We have 6 dentists and only 2 will do the in surgery system. Thats because they used to work in White dental at tollcross (before it closed) and are used to using the high powered gel. My other denitsts wouldnt attempt it as they burnt staff whilst practicing.

You def weren't at my practice as i'm the manager and would have refunded your money if i'd seen you with burns. In fact I wouldnt have let you be charged in the first place. I think its really important that patients are told of the risks and sign a consent form prior to starting.

I'd only ever recommend the in surgery system if someone phoned and wanted white teeth immediatly for a wedding or something. I always recommend the cheaper tray system.

Our bleach comes in little capsules and is made from bydrogen peroxide 6% rather than Carbemide peroxide that we all used to use. The hydrogen peroxide hydrates as it bleaches therefor reducing sensitivity. You only have to wear the trays for 1 hr at a time rather than overnight as with the old style gel.

Everyone that has the in surgery system ends up with a take home kit as it doesnt last (something else they dont tell you when you sign up!)

I wish I had been at your practice, you sound like a much better manager than the lady I saw! Mine was on George Street, it's a big national chain that's associated with an optician's...

My gel is the Carbamide stuff. I was told when I run out I can just buy more from any dentist (I don't live in Edinburgh anymore). Do you think I would be able to buy the Hydrogen Peroxide instead if that is better?

Let me know when you need some and i'll get it for you

Thanks!