Tips that will insure perfect tooth whitening trays.
Follow the TIMING INSTRUCTIONS as accurately as possible. The Tray Material is Thermo-Plastic and very heat sensitive. If you deviate from the suggested timing then the Temperature will not be at its option to make the trays fit the best. Read and understand all the steps below before you begin. Also watch video #1 of how this is done correctly.
There are actions that you will need to accomplish knowing what to do in advance. . You can not read the instructions while you're trying to construct the whitening trays. Additionally,you will want to
Practice in front of a mirror.
You should have in front of you three Whitening Trays. Two will be all that you need but we have provided an extra tray just in case something happens to one of them.
1. Practice placing the trays in your mouth and molding the trays as described below several times before you heat the tray for actual molding. Do this in front of a mirrror. Practice makes perfect. Try in both Upper and lower trays. Remember practice several times.
2. Boil water on the stove or microwave a (ceramic) cup of water (see the picture to the left) until it boils. The ceramic cup will cool off at a specific rate. Try to use a cup that looks similar to the one here. This way we can nearly determine the temperature of the water after a specific length of time. We know that water boils at 100 degrees Centigrade or 212 degrees Fairenheit. If you boil the water then we all start at the same temperature. Remove the cup from the microwave or pour your boiling water into the cup and NOW WAIT 1 Minute and 30 seconds. Please don' t get in a hurry. The Temperature will be approximately 180 degrees which is perfect for whitening tray construction without burning you. These specially formulated thermoplastic whitening trays cool off rapidly.
STARTING WITH THE UPPER TRAY
3. Place the Whitening Tray in the hot water and completely submerge it along with a small part of the tab( approximately 1/4 inch) that you'll be holding. Hold on to the TAB firmly so as not to drop the tray into the cup. If this happens immediately pour out the water from the cup within 10 seconds. 10-15 Seconds is the approximate immersion time to soften the tray material and make it moldable. The whitening tray will turn completely clear and droop when it is the right temperature for molding. It is slightly better to be cooler than hotter when molding. If you are too hot the tray will fold on itself and be difficult to manage in your mouth or become to limp to place in your mouth easily. These trays can be molded several times so take your time to do it right.
4. Remove the tray after 10 seconds and place it into your mouth with the TAB in the middle and begin molding with your fingers and thumb of both hands at the same time just like you practiced. . Mold the plastic by gently pushing against the teeth and at the GUM LINE with a front to back motion and an up and down motion also between the teeth with squeezing motion with your fingers and thumb . This is very important. The fit at the gum line is just as important as the fit to the teeth. At the same time mold the inside part of the tray with your thumb in the same way. After you have molded it and feel that it is snug against the gum and teeth close your mouth and place your upper and lower teeth together but do not bite into the tray. Place your tongue up onto the tray on the roof of your mouth and tighten your lips against your teeth and suck out the air. This will pull your lip and tongue very close to the tray and mold it even more accurately. Hold this until the tray has cooled off. This should only take about 30 seconds.
5. Remove the tray from your mouth and examine it to be sure that you can see the gum line impression and that when you replace it into the mouth that it stays in place and doesn't fall down. If you didn't get it molded accurately enough then re-submerge the tray for another 10-15 seconds. The tray will turn clear and droop a little when you are holding the tray with the tab. See the picture to the left. If you are satisfied with this final molding then take a pair of sissors and cut off the tab. Your upper tray is now ready to be used for whitening.
Now lets do the lower tray. Do this in front of the mirror so that you can feel and see what you are doing.
6. Practice placing the tray in your mouth and also practice molding with your fingers and thumb. Once you are confident that you can mold the tray, then RE-Boil the Cup of Water. Wait 1 minute 30 seconds and submerge the tray exactly like you did the upper tray.
7. Hold the tray submerged for 10 seconds and then place it into your mouth over your lower teeth. Be sure that the tab is in the middle. The tray should droop and turn completely clear.
8. Begin molding with both your fingers and thumb at the same time using both hands. Look at the picture to the left. You'll want to alternate between pushing the plastic on the biting surface toward the teeth and then alternate to squeezing the plastic on the inside with your thumb and the outside with your fingers toward the neck of the tooth at the gum line. After you have molded the tray so that it fits snugly then close your mouth so that your upper teeth touch the lower tray and tighen your lips and push with your tongue to mold the plastic to a tight fit against your teeth. Allow the tray to cool off before removing it from your mouth. Now re-submerge the tray again and place it in your mouth and put your teeth together again and suck out all the air. The warmer the tray the better the fit when you are molding.
9. Remove it and check that it fits snugly by replacing it into your mouth. Also examine the inside of the tray like you did the upper tray. You should have a nice impression of the gum line next to the neck of the tooth. If you have done this then you are an expert. Now trim off the tab and you are ready to whiten.
HINT:
If the trays are a little too long and go down into your gums and cause a little irritation then you can trim them slightly with the sissors and then resubmerge them in the hot water to roll the edges a little for comfort. Don't cut off the TAB until you determine whether you will trim the tray or not. You'll want to be able to hold onto the tray if you dip it into the hot water. When you are finished then trim off the tab. Look at the two trays on the left. The mouth tray on the right has been slightly trimmed around the borders to shorten it a little for greater comfort. This takes a little extra effort but if your trays are uncomfortable then it is well worth it to trim them.
