Teeth Whitening Trays From Your Dentist Can Keep Your Teeth White And Bright

You probably feel better about your smile when your teeth are white and bright. However, it's difficult to get and keep white teeth, unless you use a teeth whitening product. Drinks like coffee and tea can stain your teeth over time, and these stains don't come off easily, even with regular brushing. While you can find whitening kits and products at the grocery store, the best way to whiten teeth is with the help of a dentist. One method your dentist may recommend is using custom teeth whitening trays. Here's how they work.

Impressions Are Made Of Your Teeth

The trays used for professional teeth whitening are custom fit to your mouth. Molds of your upper and lower teeth are made, and then a lab uses the molds to make the trays that fit your teeth and mouth perfectly. While this is nice for comfort, the main reason the mold is custom made is so the bleaching gel can be held against your teeth properly to do a better job. Plus, since there won't be any gaps for the gel to leak out, there is less risk of gum irritation from the bleaching gel.

Dental Work May Need To Be Done In Advance

Before your dentist supplies you with the whitening kit to use at home, you'll probably need to have your teeth cleaned professionally first. By removing plaque and tartar, the bleaching gel can reach your enamel for the whitening process. If you also have cavities, your dentist might recommend having them filled, before you start teeth whitening.

Teeth Whitening Will Be Done At Home

When your custom trays are ready, your dentist shows you how to fill them with the bleaching gel and put the trays in your mouth. You'll also be given the number of days to use the trays and the hours to use them each day. The amount of time you wear them depends on the type of bleaching gel you use and the type of stains affecting your teeth. Since the bleach you get from your dentist is stronger than what you can buy in a kit from the grocery store, you'll get results fast.

One advantage of choosing the custom tray form of teeth whitening over laser whitening is that you'll have the tray at home to use any time you need a touch up. Stains will gradually start to develop, again, but by using the trays and bleach for maintenance, you can keep stains away.