There are countless ways to whiten your teeth nowadays. Of course, the most effective whitening treatments are always delivered by your dentist. Dentists offer two types of teeth whitening methods, which are:

• In-office professional whitening
• At-home custom whitening trays

In-office teeth whitening is a professional whitening performed entirely at your dentist’s office. Your dentist will use a high concentration bleaching gel to whiten your teeth, typically during a one-hour session. Custom whitening trays is another way your dentist can help you brighten your smile. Your dentist designs your custom trays from moldings of your teeth. Use your custom trays to deliver high-concentration bleaching gel to brighten your smile. Let’s take a closer look at how custom whitening trays brighten your pearly whites:

Making your custom whitening trays

Custom whitening trays are specifically designed to fit your teeth. This explains why whitening trays are more effective at whitening your teeth as compared to over-the-counter alternatives. Dentists make these trays using impressions of your teeth. The lab blocks out space to accommodate bleaching gel onto teeth surfaces planned for bleaching. Custom bleaching trays fit comfortably in your mouth and they deliver the right amount of bleaching gel to teeth surfaces.

Bleaching gel

All teeth whitening treatments use some type of bleaching gel. The bleaching gel helps break down your teeth stains and removes yellowness from teeth. Be sure to use a reliable bleaching gel to go along with your custom trays. Avoid using knock-off beaching gels simply because it contains a higher concentration of bleach. Unregulated whitening gels could damage your gum tissue or cause extreme tooth sensitivity. Be sure to purchase your bleaching gel refills from a reputable tooth whitening company. Here’s a list of some of the more reputable bleaching gel manufacturers who offer custom tray gel refills:

• ZOOM DayWhite or NiteWhite
• KöR-Night™ or KöR-Night™
• Venus White Ultra
• Opalescence Home whitening gel

How to use your custom whitening trays?

Begin by carefully applying the bleaching gel into your trays. Apply the gel evenly onto the front-facing surfaces of your teeth. Avoid placing whitening gel on the inside portion or onto your back molar teeth. Ask your dentist for assistance if you’re confused about where the whitening gel goes. Once you’ve applied the gel, carefully insert the trays into your mouth. Wear your trays as per the bleach manufacturer’s instructions. You may have to wear them for as little as 30 minutes or you may require overnight wear.

Once done, slowly remove the custom trays from your mouth. Avoid swallowing the excess gel and rinse out thoroughly. Brush your teeth afterward, without toothpaste, and clean your custom trays thoroughly. Store your custom trays and bleaching gel in a safe area for future use. Be sure to avoid food items that stain teeth, such as tea, coffee, red wine, etc. for the next few days.

Important instructions on using custom whitening trays

Custom whitening trays offer an effective and safe way of brightening your smile. Here’s a list of things to watch out for when using your custom whitening trays for the first time:

Minimize saliva contamination

Insert your custom trays carefully to minimize saliva contamination. Mixing saliva with bleaching gel dilutes the gel makes it less effective. It’s a great idea to eat something prior to using your whitening trays to reduce your saliva flow and get better results.

Use your bleaching gel wisely

Apply the bleaching gel evenly to cover teeth surfaces you want to bleach. Applying the gel unevenly could cause white spots where the gel is more concentrated and creates spotty results. Avoid getting the bleaching gel onto your gum tissue. Carefully remove any excess gel that sneaks its way out. Avoid applying bleaching gel where it’s not necessary. This includes your back molar teeth and the inside surfaces of your front teeth. Only apply the bleaching gel to the front-facing surfaces of your front teeth, the areas you actually want to whiten!

Be patient

Custom whitening trays need time to work. Leave your trays in your mouth until they finish doing their job. You’re usually looking at anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight wear. You may even have to use your custom whitening trays for several days in a row to see noticeable results. The longer you leave your trays in your mouth, the more effective the results will be. Follow the gel manufacturer’s instructions, be patient, and ask your doctor for assistance if you’re unsure about how to use your custom trays.

Stop treatment if it hurts

It’s normal to feel a bit of sensitivity when bleaching your teeth. However, if you start to feel extreme sensitivity or actual pain, you must stop your whitening treatment right away. Remove your trays, rinse your mouth thoroughly, and brush your teeth carefully. Consider switching to a weaker concentration of bleaching gel. If you already have sensitive teeth to begin with, it’s a good idea to use anti-sensitivity toothpaste before starting treatment. Toothpastes designed to help with sensitivity, like Sensodyne®, can help build tooth resistance to ease your sensitivity during and after the whitening treatment.

Benefits of using custom whitening trays

So you know by now that whitening trays are among the most effective ways to brighten your smile. Here are some other benefits of using custom trays to brighten your grin:

• Custom whitening trays uniformly administer whitening gel to your teeth surfaces for best results
• You can use your custom trays from the convenience of your own home while watching TV, cooking, or even sleeping!
• Custom whitening trays fit snugly onto your teeth surfaces which makes them super comfortable to wear
• You can reuse whitening trays as many times as you’d like to continue maintaining your white smile over time

Despite what many people think, teeth whitening results are not permanent. As you consume tea, coffee, cigarettes, berries, wine, etc., your teeth slowly start to turn yellow again. Custom whitening trays have a slightly higher initial cost, however, you can reuse them as many times as you’d like. This means that you can maintain your whiter smile at a fraction of what other whitening treatment treatments cost. In the long-run, using whitening trays is more cost-effective than going to your dentist for a professional whitening, or continuously buying whitening strips. To learn more about custom whitening trays, visit your local dentist today. You may even be able to purchase your custom whitening tray online from your local dentists on their Even28 Online Store! Click here to use our dentist Search Engine to find a great dentist near you.