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.

Experience of friends

Knowing that among my friends and colleagues there are a lot of “health enthusiasts” and other lovers of all sorts of useful things, I began to actively poll people about the use of such gels with mouth guards. After talking with people, I found out that many of them tried to whiten their teeth this way. Some looked for it themselves, others were recommended by doctors.

In fact, all the systems that come across are divided into two types - with peroxide and without it. The rest comes down to marketing, etc.

Self-installation of a whitening tray

One of these compositions was made based on sodium perborate NaBO3. Nothing new. It was previously added to tooth powders. Now - into bleaches and detergents.

There were, of course, those who swore, claiming that all these funds were pure fraud. Indeed, it is somewhat presumptuous to hope that, having smoked since the age of twelve and drinking five cups of coffee a day, you can quickly whiten your teeth with gel. Although I don’t rule out that they got a fake.

Trays for home teeth whitening should be stored in a special case and washed after each use.

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.

Home whitening Zoom Day White and Night White

Day White ACP is a daytime whitening system that contains an active gel based on 7.5% or 9.5% hydrogen peroxide. The composition of the Day White ACP gel also includes: amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) - adds shine to the enamel, reduces its permeability, and potassium nitrate - to reduce the sensitivity of the enamel. The recommended course of whitening is up to 2 weeks, 2 times a day for 30 minutes.

Night White is a night whitening system that contains an active gel based on 16% carbamide peroxide. The gel also includes amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) to restore damaged enamel. For effectiveness, the Night White system uses custom trays made using a vacuum former. The recommended course of use of Night White is from 9 to 27 days for 5-7 hours.

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.

About personal experience

The result of my stalkerish search on the forums was the acquisition of an Australian set called White Glo. Inside a beautiful translucent box (marketing for a five, because everything looks beautiful) there is a paste, a gel and a mouth guard on which this gel is applied.

Teeth whitening gels

About the pros:

• There is no abrasive effect on the enamel. Apparently, only chemistry works;
• helps against stains that appear when drinking coffee or black tea;
• in general, it is inexpensive;
• the procedure takes a minimum of time;
• reusable aps.

How long to keep teeth whitening product with trays? Apparently, this thing is concentrated, because the instructions require using it for no more than five minutes daily.

Teeth whitening with White Glo trays

There is only one minus - the gel, of which there are 100 ml in a bottle, sooner or later runs out. And you can hardly buy it separately from the set anywhere. Buying another set of the same, it seems to me, is somewhat expensive. However, this does not need to be done so often that it hits the budget.

Sequence of actions for teeth whitening with a mouth guard

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.

Whitening toothpastes

All toothpastes remove surface plaque from enamel because they contain mild abrasives. Some toothpastes with whitening properties contain mild polishes or chemical ingredients to provide additional effectiveness in removing plaque and stains. However, with the help of whitening toothpastes, you can only remove surface plaque and lighten your teeth by only one tone, while in a dental office, using professional whitening systems, you can lighten your teeth by 3-7 tones. If the paste contains abrasive particles, you should not use it constantly, as you can injure your tooth enamel.

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.

What you should know

No whitening system, except those used by dentists, can guarantee 100% effectiveness for all people. The reason is that some of us have a naturally darker enamel color than we would like. Therefore, neither pastes nor gels can change this.

Teeth whitening trays

However, if you decide to buy a home whitening system, get ready for the fact that it won’t work “as in the picture.” Although it (at least the one I bought) helps remove plaque and restore the natural color of the enamel. With repeated use, you can achieve whitening of two, and sometimes even three tones. This is quite good for such methods.

Possible contraindications for home teeth whitening:

Reasons Photo

Is it comfortable to wear a mouth guard for home teeth whitening? It's very individual. It's convenient for some, not so much for others. She didn't bother me.

Teeth whitening with trays

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.

Terms of use

Some rules must be followed:

• It is advisable to first consult with a dentist, who can identify contraindications.

  Since a high concentration of carbamide peroxide and hydrogen is used as an active bleaching agent, you should strictly adhere to the time and frequency of wearing (according to the instructions).

• It is advisable to first consult with a dentist, who can identify contraindications such as caries or thinning enamel.
• You should avoid getting the bleaching agent on the gum tissue - do not squeeze more gel into the tray than necessary, remove the remaining residue with cotton pads/napkins.

Important: dental mouth guards are not recommended to be worn for longer than prescribed in order to avoid destruction of the enamel and the appearance of increased sensitivity of the teeth.

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.” Dentist-therapist Uspangalieva Nina Borisovna

Consulting specialist

Kashaeva Victoria Nikolaevna

Specialization: Dental hygienist Experience: 7 years

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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Home teeth whitening system Dent 3D White

Dent 3D White teeth whitening technology is in many ways similar to popular home lamp whitening. In the same way, a special gel and a device that emits a light beam at a strictly defined wavelength are used to whiten teeth.

The active substance of the gel is carbamide peroxide, which releases atomic oxygen. This is the same whitening component that is used in professional whitening.

Under the influence of light, a gel with active oxygen penetrates deeply into tooth enamel, destroys pigments without changing the structure of hard tooth tissue.

The packaging design is reminiscent of the White light system, which suggests certain thoughts related to marketing.