Teeth Whitening Professional In-Office Whitening Procedures 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the typical concentration of hydrogen peroxide used in professional in-office whitening treatments?
- 25–40% (Correct answer)
- 3–6%
- 10–15%
- 50–60%
Correct answer: 25–40%
In-office systems use 25–40% hydrogen peroxide because the dentist can monitor and protect soft tissues from the high-concentration gel.
Question 2: Before applying in-office whitening gel, why does the clinician place a resin or liquid dam on the gingiva?
- To protect soft tissue from chemical burns caused by high-concentration peroxide (Correct answer)
- To speed up the bleaching reaction at the gum line
- To hold the lip retractor in place
- To prevent saliva from diluting the whitening agent
Correct answer: To protect soft tissue from chemical burns caused by high-concentration peroxide
High-concentration peroxide can cause chemical burns and blanching of the gum tissue, so a gingival barrier is mandatory before application.
Question 3: Which light-activated in-office whitening system uses a plasma arc lamp?
- Zoom WhiteSpeed uses LED; BriteSmile historically used plasma arc (Correct answer)
- Opalescence Boost uses plasma arc
- KöR uses plasma arc in all protocols
- Day White uses a plasma arc lamp
Correct answer: Zoom WhiteSpeed uses LED; BriteSmile historically used plasma arc
BriteSmile was one of the first systems to use plasma arc lamps; Zoom WhiteSpeed now primarily uses LED technology for light activation.
Question 4: How many applications (cycles) of gel are typically performed during a single Zoom in-office whitening appointment?
- Three 15-minute applications (Correct answer)
- One 60-minute continuous application
- Five 5-minute applications
- Two 30-minute applications
Correct answer: Three 15-minute applications
The standard Zoom protocol involves applying fresh gel and activating the lamp three times for 15 minutes each within a single appointment.
Question 5: What is the purpose of a pre-treatment dental cleaning (prophylaxis) before in-office whitening?
- Remove plaque and calculus so the gel contacts clean enamel evenly (Correct answer)
- Activate the peroxide gel faster
- Harden enamel against peroxide penetration
- Open dentinal tubules wider for deeper bleaching
Correct answer: Remove plaque and calculus so the gel contacts clean enamel evenly
Plaque and calculus create an uneven barrier that can prevent the whitening gel from contacting and bleaching the underlying enamel uniformly.
Question 6: Which in-office whitening system is known for a refrigerated, high-viscosity gel and a desensitizing protocol called KöR-Seal trays?
- KöR Whitening (Correct answer)
- Zoom WhiteSpeed
- Opalescence Boost
- Venus White Ultra
Correct answer: KöR Whitening
KöR Whitening uses refrigerated gels to preserve peroxide potency and proprietary sealed trays to minimize salivary contamination during treatment.
Teeth Whitening Professional In-Office Whitening Procedures 1
What is the typical concentration of hydrogen peroxide used in professional in-office whitening treatments?