What Steps Are Involved with Tray Whitening?

The first step in professional at-home whitening is to have your dentist take an impression of your teeth. Using this impression, your dentist will create custom bleaching trays that fit perfectly over your teeth. Bleaching trays are similar to a custom made mouth guard, though they are much thinner.

 

The whitening gel usually comes in a syringe-shaped delivery device. You place a drop or two of gel in each of the tooth impressions in your tray. The tray then snaps into place over your teeth. Because the trays are custom-fitted, the bleach is held in place over the tooth, while staying out of contact with the gums and other soft tissues of the mouth.

 

Some patients elect to wear their whitening trays overnight, while others prefer to whiten for shorter periods during the day. Since each patient is different, every individual should consult their dentist and/or follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper use. The total protocol may range from around 5 days to 14 days. This could be longer or shorter depending on the “strength” of the particular formula or system you use and your current starting shade. The length of time the trays are worn each day may also vary. Many “day-time” products direct patients to wear the trays anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes a day, twice a day. Overnight products recommend a minimum of 4 to 6 hours. Once again this will vary. See our Time to Whiteness Chart for more information.

 

When it’s time to remove the custom bleaching trays, you simply slide them off of your teeth, and rinse any remaining whitening gel from your mouth.

 

The benefits of home bleaching are generally a matter of discretion and comfort. The following are some specific benefits of custom tray whitening:

Home bleaching methods are extremely effective and are an excellent, cost-effective way for a person to achieve the goal of whiter teeth.

 

With any type of home treatment, there is no direct supervision from professionals and the patient is responsible for following the directions correctly. Failure to follow the directions could result in damage or harm.