I have been waiting for a long time to get my teeth whitened. Well, two days ago I did Zoom! I think the appointment went well. But I honestly thought the results would be more dramatic. I can still see a brown discoloration if I look closely. I thought they would be dazzling white like all the brochures say. Did the dentist do something wrong? Or is there a limit to what Zoom whitening can accomplish?

– Sheila in Washington

Sheila,

It sounds like you had an experience that is uncharacteristic to Zoom whitening. Typically, Zoom gives significantly whiter teeth right after the appointment. The results are immediate and can fade over a couple days.

Although, there are limitations to what Zoom can do. If you had severe staining, then you may need to undergo more than one treatment. It may end up taking two appointments to achieve the dazzling white smile you are after. Zoom can also give you some side effects, like sensitivity from the powerful whitening agents. So be careful with how soon you seek additional treatment. Also, the week following Zoom, the color does stabilize so be sure to avoid food or drink that stains teeth for the best results.

Was your dentist an experienced cosmetic dentist? Because if you weren’t a candidate because of severe discoloration, the dentist should have managed your expectations. Or possible recommended a different cosmetic dentistry solution. It sounds like you need to follow-up with your dentist in a few days to monitor the coloration. If you are unhappy after some time has passed, ask your dentist if the treatment can be repeated to get to your desired whiteness. Also, did your dentist provide take-home teeth whitening gel to continue the whitening? If not, request that the take-home method is used.

Sorry to hear you don’t have raving reviews for Zoom. It sounds like there needs to be some follow-up to your dentist to see what happened. Good luck and thanks for sharing your story.