Teeth Whitening

Tooth whitening is a cosmetic dental procedure that lightens the colour of your teeth by removing stains and discolouration. It’s one of the most popular treatments for improving the appearance of your smile.

At SH Dental Care we use the Philips Zoom! Teeth Whitening System. This offers patients two options to achieve tooth whitening: in-surgery or at home.

In-Surgery Philips Zoom! Whitening

This option is ideal for patients who do not want to wear at-home trays for an extended period. With Philips ZOOM! in-house whitening, we can achieve fantastic instant results. However, patients will still need to continue at-home whitening for a week to achieve the best outcome.

Before any whitening procedure, all patients are seen for a free, no-obligation consultation where the pros and cons are discussed. Only qualified dental personnel can undertake whitening procedures.

What to Expect

You will need to see the dentist for a 2-hour appointment. Initially, a scan is taken to create your bespoke whitening trays for you to continue whitening at home following the procedure.

We advise patients to bring their favourite music and headphones to help them relax. The procedure may take approximately 1½ hours to 2 hours so comfort is important.

Once the whitening trays are ready, the dentist will review the procedure with you to ensure full understanding and answer any remaining questions.

During treatment, the mouth is comfortably held open while the whitening gel is applied to the teeth. A lamp with ultraviolet light is used to activate the gel, breaking up stains and discolouration.

The gel is then washed away and the process is repeated 3 to 4 times.

Some sensitivity and warmth from the lamp may be experienced. Once the final gel application is removed, your teeth will appear visibly whiter and brighter.

The dentist will provide aftercare instructions along with your bespoke trays so you can continue whitening at home for 4–5 days to achieve the best results. The Philips ZOOM! procedure kick-starts the whitening process but ongoing home treatment is essential.

At-Home Philips Zoom! Whitening

This method is suitable for patients with sensitivity concerns or those who prefer a gradual approach over 6–8 weeks.

As with in-surgery whitening, a scan is taken to create custom whitening trays.

You will return for a second appointment to collect your trays, whitening solution, and instructions. Your dentist will demonstrate the safe application of the gel, starting your first 30-minute session before you leave the practice.

At home, you will apply the gel to the trays and wear them for the time recommended by the dentist.

Please note that whitening results vary between individuals. To maintain brightness additional top-up whitening packs are available at the practice.