“we all want a smile that brightens the room, but it’s inevitable for our teeth to remain white due to discolouration from our everyday lifestyle, whether it’s food, drinks, medical reasons, etc . This is where we play the role of your very own tooth fairy to help you smile with confidence” By Barsha

Teeth whitening; everyone knows about it and the benefits of it. This blog will give you an insight of how your teeth whitening trays are made – the fun process from your visit to dentist, taking an impression of your teeth, to handing you your beautiful set of customised trays.

Any occasions in your life is a special one and we are here to help you look and feel your best during these moments. A beautiful smile is always a head turner, so we are your here to help give you that celebrity smile.

Here I will take you on a journey from your teeth impressions being carried out, to our lab, until it finally reaches you.

What are the different ways to whiten your teeth?

Here at The Behrens Dental Practice, we provide two types of whitening:

• Home whitening: This option allows you to control your progress
• In surgery zoom whitening: This 2 hour in chair session is instant and although both methods are equally as good, it depends on your time, commitment and preferences.

What makes a good whitening tray?

A good set of teeth impressions are necessary so the teeth models are defined and correct. Secondly, a good mix while making the model is required, therefore a lot of practice, care, patience and effort is needed during the process of making perfect whitening trays.

Trays should not have any leakage, this contributes towards prolonging/delaying of your whitening progress. A good trays should not have any sharp edges that can discomforts your mouth in any way. It should not feel too tight or too loose while putting them on your mouth.  A good whitening trays needs to fit the mouth like a Cinderella’s lost shoe (hypothetically speaking), like it is only made for you.

What are the advantages of a good whitening tray?

The fact that the trays are customised means the trays will only fit you, which will enhance your process of whitening. The way our lab creates whitening trays, they are sealed properly around the teeth therefore no leakage, no chance of gum irritation, or white spots.

Step by Step process of how your trays are made:

• Firstly, your dentist or hygienist will take the upper and lower impressions of your teeth so it is customised to fit you only. Your impressions are then disinfected and wrapped in wet tissues. Reason being is so it doesn’t distort as the material used for impression are not meant to be kept for too long.
• Your impressions are then transported safely in a sealable bag to the lab
• Then comes the fun part: 125ml of powder is poured in a rubber bowl (easier to mix and clean), mixed with 25ml of tap water for 20- 30 seconds until the bubbles disappear.
• Using the spatula, the mix is neatly placed on the impressions and left to set (15-20 mins or longer).
• After the mix has fully set, we carefully take the model out from the impressions and scrap any extra parts.
• The impressions go in a clinical bag, the model is set on a clean paper and spray is applied equally on all surfaces – this is done to prevent the whitening sheet sticking on the model.
• While the model is drying, we put the whitening sheets on our special tray making machine. Time to turn up the heat!
• We then place the model directly under the sheets and wait until the sheets starts to stretch from the heat.
• After a few seconds when the sheet is ready, we place the sheet on the model and turn the heater off and the vacuum on. The vacuum is under the model where it’s being placed. The vacuum is applied for 30 seconds and voila it’s almost ready.
• Time for some arts and craft! Using sharp scissors we cut around the model and take the whitening trays out of the model and it’s READY! Have a look at the video below.
• Nearly there, it’s safely stored in a portable box and handed to you by our dentist or hygienist. They will explain to you in detail how to use it.

Prices:

At home whitening trays: £450

2 hour Zoom session: £750