Using a Teeth Tray for a Whiter Smile

For a brighter, whiter, more beautiful smile many people have turned to teeth whitening. While you could spend several hundreds of dollars to visit your dentist, many dentists are happy to suggest an at home whitening kit that will cost substantially less.

Most whitening kits will use a teeth tray and you should decide just what kind of results you want and how best to achieve them. Teeth trays come in three types; pre-filled disposable ones, semi-custom trays and fully custom trays.

Pre-filled disposable trays will generally cost you $35-$50 dollars. These trays come in 14 tray packs. This is generally the least expensive method, as well as being one that gets faster results. You can find these easily at most pharmacies and they are very simple to use. This method will usually require several uses over a week long period, but you will see the final result sooner.

Another teeth tray method is the “warm” tray, allowing you a semi-custom fit. These trays are modifiable by simply dipping them in hot water to make them soft and then pressing them around your teeth. You want to be sure these teeth trays are comfortable because you could be wearing it anywhere from half an hour to overnight. Badly fitting trays can cause gum irritation when wearing them over long periods of time. Once you’ve got a comfortable fit, you will insert the gel into the teeth tray for the time suggested on the box. This may require daily uses for an hour or more at a time. This method may cost a bit more than the disposable trays, it may be a more comfortable option.

Fully custom trays can be gotten in two ways. You can have one made by your dentist, but it’s pretty pricey at about $300 or more. Another way is to order mold kits online for $60 to $120. You will be shipped a molding putty and a molding tray. You press the putty into the tray and then bite down. This is just like making bite molds for your dentist. Then you send these molds back to the laboratory and within a couple of weeks you will get your customized teeth tray. This method will be the most comfortable method since the tray will fit your mouth exactly. Once you have the teeth tray you can then use it just like the warm tray, inserting the gel into the tray and following the directions.

Which ever type of tray you decide to use, know that the teeth tray system of teeth whitening is the only whitening system that has received the American Dental Association’s seal of approval. Getting this seal is a very time consuming and expensive procedure and completely optional. If your system has received their Seal of Acceptance, then this is a product committed to quality and safety. It will be easy to see this seal since manufacturers display it proudly and usually place it in a large and easily seen spot on their packaging.