1.) When you receive your whitening trays, place the trays in your mouth to check for fit and comfort. The trays should cover the area of the tooth to be whitened. The margins of the tray should extend to the margin of the gumline, but not cover the gumline.
2.) Gently load the front of each tooth impression to be whitened with the whitening gel from the syringe. Normally whitening the front 10 teeth will cover your full smile. Each tooth impression to be loaded will generally only require a small dot in the middle of the tooth impression. Remember, if your tooth has a crown, veneer, or filling it will not whitening in the area of the restoration. Only the natural tooth structure will whiten when using the gel.
3.) Put the loaded tray in your mouth. As you look into a mirror, gently press each tooth to disperse the drop of gel over the entire tooth. If you have excess gel expressed from the margins of the tray, wipe away and remember to use less gel the next time you load your tray. Recommended treatment times are as follows:
Opalescence 10% 8-10 hours or overnight
Opalescence 15% 4-6 hours
Rev! 15 minutes. However, studies have shown that the most whitening happens within the first hour no matter what strength you use. So if you can only tolerate the trays in for an hour, you are still whitening your teeth! The number of times you will need to use your trays will depend on the original shade of your teeth and how many shades you would like lighten.
4.) After you have left your trays in place for the desired amount of time, gently remove the trays and rinse your mouth with water to remove any remaining gel on your teeth. Rinse the trays with lukewarm or cold water running water. Invert the trays and allow to air dry. Do not expose the trays to hot water or a hair dryer as the trays will melt or warp. Pigmented foods and drinks such as coffee, tea, red wine, orange juice, blueberries etc., should be avoided for a minimum of one hour after removing trays to prevent staining of teeth.
You will be responsible for the cost should you need an extra set of trays or damage the ones you have. A discount may be given if you have your original study models and they can still be used for your tray fabrication. Additional whitening gel may be purchased separately if needed. Side Effects The most common side effect of using whitening trays is tooth sensitivity. If sensitivity is uncomfortable, you may need to whiten less often or for a shorter amount of time. You may use your trays for fluoride application to decrease sensitivity if needed. If you experience a burning sensation in your gum tissue, you should remove your trays and rinse the area. You may apply Vitamin E oil to speed healing of the gum tissue. Any sensitivity is normally just temporary and should resolve in a few days with no treatment. Please do not hesitate to call the office at 706- 867-9553 if you have any questions or to report any lingering, unusual sensitivity.