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08 Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition | 7/2016 WORLD NEWS Philips Zoom—Delivering the ultimate tooth whitening experience BY DTI CAMBRIDGE & LONDON, UK: Philips has come a long way since introducing its first patent for a light bulb with an extended burn- ing time in 1905. Over more than 100 years, the Dutch company has continued to pave the way with groundbreaking products, such as medical X-ray tubes, radios, elec- tric shavers and toothbrushes— innovations that made a small company from a town of fewer than 50,000 residents in the south of the Netherlands a house- hold name around the globe. Active in the field of health care since the 1990s, the company began a new chapter several years ago with the acquisition of Discus Dental and its Zoom tooth whiten- ing technology in 2010. According to then Philips Consumer Life- style CEO Pieter Nota, the com- pany took this step in order to complement its existing Sonicare portfolio of health care products, as well as strengthen its position as a leading oral health care brand and generate growth in the cos- metic dentistry segment. Today, according to Philips, ten million people have been treated world- wide with Zoom tooth whitening technology. Recent studies have shown that, compared with other solutions on the market, its 6 % hydrogen peroxide whitening gel, in combination with light-acti- vated technology, achieves excel- lent results and overall patient satisfaction with minimal to no sensitivity. Almost everything concern- ing Zoom is currently being re- searched and further developed at the Philips research site at the Cambridge Science Park, which is both the oldest such space in Britain and where major industry competitors like Toshiba and ARM Holdings have been con- ducting cutting-edge research for years. In this exclusive neigh- bourhood, established in the early 1970s, more than 30 Philips employees from around the globe are working on solutions that will soon benefit millions of patients around the world. One of the five major research centres in Europe, the site is closely linked not only to Philips’s High Tech Campus in the Netherlands but also to over 80 research institutions in Britain and worldwide, including universities in Cambridge, South- ampton and London. Overall, it adds to a network of more than 1,200 scientists conducting re- search on behalf of Philips all around the world. In addition to its focus on tooth whitening, the company performs research on microbiology and in- and outdoor location technologies at the sci- ence park. In the Zoom laboratories, Philips scientists and research engineers are constantly at work to learn more about the processes behind the complex mix of chem- istry and physics that help to whiten teeth. In in vitro studies, parameters are optimised before being tested on stained bovine models and finally validated on extracted human teeth. The re- sults are continually measured after whitening, as well as for a further seven and 30 days in solution for hydration, which can affect the colour of the teeth. Through testing, among other things, engineers have been able to debunk a number of tooth whit- ening myths of the recent past, such as the assumption that using heat accelerates the whitening process. Instead they found that the hydrogen peroxide was rap- idly converted into water and oxygen even before it was able to penetrate the dentine to have an effect. In addition to its 6 % hydrogen peroxide whitening gel, which breaks the molecular bonds of stains in and on the teeth, Zoom therefore uses light-activated technology, which is similar to curing lights in restorative den- tistry,throughitschairsidePhilips Zoom WhiteSpeed Whitening LED Accelerator, to speed up the pro- cess and achieve better results. The system has proven to be 40 per cent more effective than non-light-activated systems and to whiten teeth by up to six shades in an hour. The latest generation of the whitening gel comes with amorphous calcium phosphate, also known as “artificial enamel”, that is applied through a dual- barrel syringe to reduce sensitivity by reducing fluid flow in the teeth. Patients who want to whiten their teeth at home can do so using the Philips Zoom DayWhite and Zoom NiteWhite kits, which both promise maximum results within one or two weeks. However, dental professionals recommend a combined approach. “What I say to patients is that the Zoom proce- dure is a ‘kick start’ to their whit- ening journey,” explained Zoom user Dr Zaki Kanaan, a well-known dentist from Fulham in London. “You will notice a visible differ- ence immediately upon comple- tion of your Zoom and you will need to follow up the procedure with a few days of home whiten- ing, rather than the 14+ days of home whitening alone. Quite often patients go for the combi- nation approach and some will of course opt for the take-home whitening alone.” “Whichever option patients go for and even if this is predomi- nantly take-home whitening in your practice, one thing’s for sure, professionally applied whitening is a ‘must have’ option for pa- tients. There is a large segment of the population who will always want the quick route to what they want and if you don’t offer it, they will find someone who does,” he added. Further information on Zoom can be found at www.philips.co.uk. Light activation with the Philips Zoom WhiteSpeed Whitening LED Accelerator in the laboratory. ©PositiveCommunications Philips Research Engineer Carolina Florez conducting tests. The Zoom has proven to be 40 per cent more effective than non-light activated systems. ©PositiveCommunications Dr Zaki Kanaan ©PositiveCommunications