5 features of using trays for teeth whitening

October 21, 2019

Many people are interested in what dental guards are and what types they come in. But recently, devices that are used directly to lighten enamel have been of particular interest. Of course, because in this case, mouth guards are a more affordable alternative to safe in-office whitening methods. Plus, they allow you to achieve results at home. However, the editors of the UltraSmile.ru portal consider it their duty to warn readers that you need to know how to use these products correctly, and in order not to be disappointed with the result and not cause harm to your health, you need to know the nuances of their use.

What types of mouthguards are there and for what purposes are they used?

There is no need to confuse mouth guards (or mouth guards with two “p”) for whitening with mouth guards for straightening teeth (aligners), as well as mouth guards for consolidating the results of orthodontic treatment. Although individually developed designs have an external similarity, as can be seen from numerous photos on the Internet, the main purpose of each variety is, of course, different.

The photo shows custom designed mouthguards

The main goal of whitening agents is to keep the lightening gel on the teeth so that it can take effect. Aligners have a completely different main goal: they act on the dentition, forcing them to move in a given direction - when doctors say “aligners,” they mean “aligners,” and this definition is more correct, because Translated from English, this word means “to align.” Retention aligners are used after wearing braces to consolidate the results of treatment; they prevent the teeth from returning to their original, crooked position.

There are also other types of mouthguards - sports for those who engage in traumatic sports and without this device risk being left without teeth. There are baby devices for proper teething. There are devices that relax the masticatory muscles and are suitable for the treatment of TMNS dysfunctions. There are also products that protect the enamel from damage at night - they are prescribed to those who suffer from bruxism and involuntarily clench their jaws during sleep.

What are enamel lightening trays?

The mouth guard itself is not a whitening agent - it is a kind of plastic elastic reservoir, an overlay designed to be fixed to the dentition. How to whiten teeth with a mouth guard? To do this, you need to add a special brightening gel to it, which usually contains hydrogen peroxide 6-9% or carbamide peroxide at a concentration of 10-15%1.

Method of teeth whitening with aligners

“I, too, from time to time undergo a course of whitening with trays - I put a weak solution immediately at night. The visible effect can be detected as early as 3-4 days. There is no need to go to the dentist and pay crazy amounts of money. After the course, sensitivity of the enamel appears, but it is insignificant and does not interfere with life. Then everything is restored, but the smile is truly snow-white.”

Elvira R., Nizhny Novgorod, from correspondence on the woman.ru forum

Hydrogen peroxide is considered more intense, with its help you can achieve the desired effect faster, but here you need to understand that the substance has a fairly aggressive effect on the enamel, so you can’t go through the procedures too often - you can seriously damage the protective layer of the teeth. Carbamide peroxide provides a more gentle lightening, but also helps achieve noticeable results.

What do enamel whitening trays look like?

The photo of a dental guard shows that it is a removable device made of transparent and elastic silicone or plastic. Such a device is placed on the teeth, but by itself it will not lighten the enamel unless a special whitening compound is placed inside it.

For whitening, the tray is filled with a special whitening composition

In order to achieve a positive result, it is necessary to distribute a lightening gel inside the trays, the main active component of which will be either hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. The first option is considered more preferable if you need to achieve a better whitening effect (but you need to be extremely careful with it so as not to injure soft and hard tissues). The second one has a more gentle effect on the enamel and mucous membranes, which means the result will be somewhat worse.

Also today there are gels that do not contain peroxide (for example, Hi Lite 2). The main active component in their composition is hydroxylit, which acts even more gently and less aggressively than hydrogen and urea, but to achieve a positive result it needs to be used an order of magnitude longer - not 10-14 days, but 4-6 weeks.

Mouthguards are a universal tool that is suitable not only for whitening, but also for strengthening enamel with remineralizing compounds enriched with calcium and fluoride. What effect you get will depend on the composition used.

Cost of teeth whitening at home

It is impossible to immediately give an exact answer to the question of how much whitening trays cost - it all depends on the brand, type of product and intensity of the lightening gel. If we talk about average prices, then such a standard set can cost 2-3 thousand rubles. Thermoplastic models are created from more expensive material, so they will cost an order of magnitude more - about 4,500 - 6,000 rubles. Individual sets are considered the most expensive - the production of mouth guards for them involves the use of individual casts of the patient’s jaws. Their cost can vary between 7-15 thousand rubles.

The considered home whitening method allows you to lighten the enamel by several tones, but if it is not suitable for your particular case, you should think about what you can use to replace the aligner. An excellent alternative can be special teeth whitening strips or a professional whitening procedure at the dentist's office. The main thing is to make sure that you have no contraindications, otherwise you may end up with serious dental problems.

1. Ilyin F.Yu., Baburov A.V. Various Indicators of Teeth Whitening Procedure, 2003.

For comfort and better effect, choose individual mouth guards

Not everyone knows that teeth whitening using aligners will be more effective if you order individually designed products. The fact is that the mouth guards may well be template or standard - they can be purchased at an affordable price in any online store or pharmacy, plus they will also come with a whitening gel. Such a purchase can be made quickly, and it is advantageous in terms of cost. But there are also disadvantages.

Template trays are sold together with a special gel

For example, standard products do not fit everyone in size, they do not correspond to the individual characteristics of the jaw, they may not hold well and fall out, they may injure the mucous membrane, and rub. The danger is also that the gels included in the kit may contain an inappropriate concentration of the active substance specifically for you, which is fraught with, at best, the absence of any effect at all, and at worst - thinning, fragility, pain and hypersensitivity of the enamel, burns of the mucous membrane, allergic reactions .

Today, thermoplastic mouthguards for reusable use (for example, REVYLINE1 or Diamondbrite brands) are also very popular. To fix them on your teeth, you must first place the products for a few seconds in water at a temperature of 80 degrees. After heating, they become soft and take the shape of any jaw. Of course, they will not provide a perfect fit, but they are more comfortable than template ones and less expensive than custom ones.

“I bought myself a set of thermoplastic mouth guards (2 pieces included - for the upper and lower jaw) in China. I waited a whole month, but at a bargain price! Use this extremely carefully, because... if you keep it in hot water, it will simply become deformed and will no longer be suitable for any further manipulations. I ruined one thing like that, and now I know what I’m talking about! Otherwise, they are quite normal, they don’t smell like plastic, they don’t cause discomfort, they suited me, but the effect, I think, depends more on what the composition is inside.”

Lika, fragment of review from otzovik.com

The photo shows REVYLINE mouthguards

Unlike template ones, individual dental mouth guards are free from the listed disadvantages, because they are created from jaw casts for each specific patient in a dental laboratory. They are also suitable for repeated use. At the same time, dentistry will select the optimal concentration of the gel based on the clinical situation, the condition of the teeth and gums, expectations, and the degree of darkening of your enamel.

Composition and manufacturing process

Mouthguards of standard shapes and sizes can be purchased at the pharmacy. However, it is more expedient to make them to order, taking into account individual characteristics. This can be done at Dr. Granov's dental clinic. The mouth guard is made from an impression made by the dentist at the appointment.

For the manufacture of mouthguards, flexible plastic is most suitable, providing additional tightness. It takes 3 days to make, then the patient tries on the mouth guard and the doctor evaluates how it fits and comes off.

Types of caps:

1. Standard pads. They are most popular due to their affordable price. The disadvantage is the only size, which does not take into account the individual characteristics of the oral cavity of each person. The kit includes 10 pairs of mouth guards; wearing time should not exceed 1 hour.
2. Individual mouthguards. They are manufactured taking into account the patient’s bite characteristics. You can make such an overlay from the specialists of our clinic.
3. Thermoplastic mouth guards. They become elastic in warm water and follow the contours of the teeth. Compared to others, these mouthguards are the most expensive, but the most comfortable and effective. The whitening gel is applied using a special syringe. You can wear this design for up to 8 hours at night and no more than 5 hours during the day.

Before using mouth guards, be sure to undergo professional hygiene

What are teeth whitening trays and what they look like, you have already seen in the photo. Their purpose is to hold the brightening composition on the enamel. However, it is important to remember that their use together with the gel will be completely unproductive if, before the course of procedures, soft, hard bacterial and pigmented plaque is not removed from the enamel, and it is not polished so that the effect is uniform and generally noticeable. Also, do not forget that during the professional hygiene procedure, the doctor strengthens the enamel with fluoride, seals the smallest cracks, which makes it possible to increase its strength and resistance to any traumatic factors, which to one degree or another is bleaching.

The photo shows teeth brushing with the Air Flow system.

Consult your dentist about the advisability of using aligners to lighten the shade of enamel. Before the course of procedures, treat your teeth from caries and pulpitis, but it is better to replace old fillings in the smile area after achieving a positive result, because Whitening agents will not work on them, and they will stand out from the rest of the teeth.

Indications for home teeth whitening with trays

The main indications for such an aesthetic procedure are:

• Changes in enamel color due to food coloring and smoking.
• Age-related changes in enamel color.
• Darkening of the enamel due to insufficient hygiene.
• Color changes caused by taking certain groups of medications (in particular, the antibiotic tetracycline - when taken for a long time, a person gets so-called “tetracycline teeth”, which have a pronounced yellow-orange or even brown color).

In all these cases, home teeth whitening can give quite decent aesthetic results.

Read about contraindications for use

Whitening trays themselves for home use have no contraindications, but gels for lightening enamel have quite a lot of limitations: the presence of braces and tongue piercings, lactation and pregnancy in women, children under 18 years of age, respiratory diseases and asthma, intolerance to certain gel components and allergic reactions. A course of procedures cannot be carried out immediately after surgical interventions in the oral cavity (for example, after tooth extraction), in case of inflammation of the mucous membrane, in case of multiple caries, or in the presence of thin and brittle enamel.

Whitening with trays

The procedure does not require special knowledge or skills. Lightening preparations are produced with narrow spouts and dispensers for convenient distribution of the product inside the trays. The composition must be applied evenly to the inner surface, and then put the mouth guard on the teeth. The drug should not get on the mucous membranes of the mouth, otherwise you may get a chemical burn.

The procedure time ranges from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the desired effect. In this case, you must strictly follow the instructions without overexposing the drug, otherwise you can damage the enamel. While wearing the structure, you should not eat or drink, otherwise liquid will get inside.

Whitening gels contain the following components:

• hydrogen peroxide, urea or similar brightening ingredients;
• ultraviolet activators;
• aromatic substances.

The drugs are safe if used according to instructions. Home whitening cannot be carried out during pregnancy, breastfeeding, treatment with potent drugs, in childhood, on sensitive teeth or if they are damaged (caries, chips, etc.), there is an allergy to the components of the gels, in the presence of severe systemic diseases.

Strictly follow the instructions for use

How to whiten teeth with a mouthguard so that it is as effective and safe for health as possible? The main thing that is required of you is to strictly follow the instructions for using the bleaching composition, i.e. Do not keep the gel for less or longer than the specified time. As a rule, you need to undergo a course of procedures that will take no more than 10-14 days (half an hour a day).

Instructions for use should be strictly followed

How to use mouthguards? Before installation, you need to perform thorough oral hygiene and brush your teeth. Next, you need to fill the pad with gel and fix it on the jaw so that the brightening composition does not come into contact with the mucous membrane. It’s convenient that the procedures can be performed at home, and while the aligners are on your teeth, you can spend time as you want - doing everyday household chores, at the computer, watching movies and reading books.

You cannot talk or eat while wearing whitening trays. After removing them, you need to thoroughly rinse the oral cavity and the products themselves with running water, then you need to dry the mouth guards and put them in a place protected from light and dust - for example, in a special container. Avoid eating or drinking for two hours after the procedure.

Do not neglect the rules of operation of these devices and wear them longer or for more days than required by the instructions. Also, do not leave products in your mouth overnight unless this has been specified in the instructions. You won’t be able to achieve a better effect from this, but you can easily spoil the enamel of your teeth, cause pain and irritation of the mucous membrane.

In what cases will they not help?

Mouthguards may not be suitable for everyone due to the individual characteristics of the body. It should be borne in mind that if teeth and gums are characterized by high sensitivity and intolerance to certain substances, then whitening gels in contact with tissues can lead to irritation of the mucous membrane. This is accompanied by discomfort during the procedure.

When purchasing a whitening gel, dentists recommend paying attention to the chemical composition and concentration of active substances. Thus, the selected products may contain hydrogen peroxide in excess quantities. This can damage the structure of the teeth. Therefore, the dentists of our clinic recommend contacting a specialist who will whiten your teeth without harming the oral cavity.

Why shouldn't you expect a wow effect?

Professional dentists confirm the fact that when using aligners, the patient should not expect a radical transformation and the acquisition of a snow-white Hollywood smile. The maximum you can lighten the enamel in this way is 2-4 shades, and then only if you have prepared for the procedures and have undergone professional oral hygiene.

If you really pursue the goal of making your smile 4-12 shades lighter, then there is no alternative to professional whitening methods. But mouth guards after in-office procedures are quite suitable for maintaining the results at a high level for many years of life.

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whitening

1. According to the website of the official manufacturer revyline.ru

Expert “Along with certain advantages, mouthguards for home whitening also have disadvantages. Many of those who used the devices without consulting a doctor remain disappointed, because... They note that the stains on the enamel are still preserved, the shade remains the same. It’s better to use trays to maintain the results of in-office whitening – it will be much more effective and safer.” Dental hygienist Victoria Nikolaevna Kashaeva

Consulting specialist

Kashaeva Victoria Nikolaevna

Specialization: Dental hygienist Experience: 8 years

Flaws

• a long waiting period (after in-office whitening we already see the result, but teeth whitening with trays takes much longer, usually 2-4 weeks);
• requires careful use (you must ensure that the bleaching agent does not get on the gums and periodontal tissues - this can cause a burn);
• You can whiten your teeth only by 2-3 shades.

Before purchasing teeth whitening trays, consult your doctor. A specialist will help you choose the necessary bleaching agent so as not to harm the enamel, and will also determine whether you can whiten your teeth this way or whether it is better to undergo an in-office procedure. Do not neglect consulting a specialist, because the health of your teeth is more important!

Comments

After whitening with trays, do I need to stick to a diet and not eat colored foods?

Kurnakova Gala (10/30/2019 at 01:38) Reply to comment

Gala, of course, sticking to a “white” diet is necessary after any teeth whitening method. This will help maintain the result. True, when whitening with aligners, you will have to adhere to dietary restrictions much longer than after professional methods of enamel lightening. After all, the doctor uses protocols that allow you to achieve results in 1 session, and mouth guards with gel must be used for at least 2 weeks, while the diet must be followed both during the procedure and for some time after.

Editorial staff of the portal UltraSmile.ru (04.11.2019 at 09:17) Reply to comment

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Disadvantages and advantages of teeth whitening with trays

The main advantages of home whitening using trays are low cost and availability. In addition, the advantages of the described method include:

• safety of the procedure;
• availability of conditions for performing all necessary manipulations at home, at a convenient time;
• the ability to remove the mouth guard in any case and interrupt the procedure.

At the same time, teeth whitening with trays also has a number of disadvantages. In particular, the negative features of this technique are:

• high risk of developing dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints when wearing mouth guards at night;
• long duration of whitening course;
• irritation of the gastrointestinal tract due to accidental ingestion of the drug;
• the presence of a wide range of contraindications to the procedure.

How to choose a teeth whitening gel

Many whitening systems can be purchased without a prescription at a pharmacy or specialty store. They are all supposed to be safe, but...!

1. Before purchasing, be sure to consult a doctor. How a whitening gel will work, even the most gentle one, can only be predicted after a preliminary dental examination.
2. If the enamel is highly sensitive or damaged (chips, cracks), it is advisable to entrust the choice of remedy to a doctor. The dentist will be able to select a whitening gel that will not harm the patient.
3. If there are no dental problems, then you can use universal systems, for example, the professional Zoom kit.

Whitening gels at home must be used exactly according to the instructions, otherwise the least you can do is waste your money, and what is more dangerous is getting burns to soft tissues and damaging the enamel.

How to apply whitening gel

The method for using the whitening gel is developed by the manufacturer.

• At home, you can use the American White Light system - the gel is applied to the mouthguard in two layers and “activated” using an LED lamp.
• White&Perfect whitening is carried out by a doctor who applies the composition to all teeth one by one. The procedure requires accuracy and control over the duration of action.
• The Global White system includes a gel for whitening sensitive teeth. It is applied with a cotton swab or brush, and can be used with a mouth guard. Potassium nitrate, which is included in its composition, protects the enamel and helps strengthen it.
• Gels from the gentle category can be used without drops. They are shaped like a pencil with a brush at the end. This is how, for example, Teeth Whitening Pen (USA) is applied, which is more intended to maintain whiteness than to achieve it.
• The use of the Opalescence TresWhite kit (USA) does not require any manipulation from the user other than the formation of trays. They are made in the form of boxes filled with gel, which, after pre-molding, are simply put on the teeth.