Question:
My dentist created bleaching trays which do not cover the entire height
of my teeth. They cover about 2/3 of the height of my front teeth only.
I'm worried that the uncovered portion will remain yellow while the rest
is white and it will look ridiculous. My dentist says the bleach will
seep into the teeth so i shouldn't worry. He is using Opalescence.
SO is he right ?
Answer:
Well...I'm not one to down anyone else's work...there may be certain
reasons *why* your dentist has done this (i.e. you may have gum
problems and he is worried about the gingival tissue) but I don't
think your tray will be too effective. I've been making trays for
years, and here's how I design them and why:
I cut my trays right down to the gingival margin. (the area where
tooth stops and gums begin). The manufacturers instructions on many
bleaching systems (including Ultradent's Opalescence) say to cut the
trays around 1mm past the gingival line. The reason I do this, is
because the higher percentage of carbomide peroxide you are using, the
more risk there is for gingival irritation if the gel is allowed to
rest on the tissue. Cutting the tray to the margin allows the gel not
to rest on the tissue, but still allows the neckline of the tooth to
get good coverage while gel "foams out". Another important (and I
can't stress this more) aspect into making trays is your use of a
spacer in the vacu-form process. Bleaching kits come with a light
cured material (usually blue in color) for the person who is making
the trays to place on the facial surfaces of the teeth on the cast.
This allows there to be a layer of free space after the vacu-form
process which makes the bleaching gel displace evenly across the
teeth, and you get a good result. Not using a spacer can make the tray
tight in some areas, thus displacing the bleach and only the
interproximal areas and some parts of the facials get lighter and you
get a "splotchy" effect that's more noticeable in those with heavy
stain. I usually don't use the spacer gel given in the packs. Instead,
I use quick-dry nailpolish. It's easier to minipulate, and you can put
on as thick or as thin as a coat you want. I've gotten very good
results this way. Also, I only use the spacer up to the second
bicuspids on each arch. I don't usually place spacer on molars,
because since the buccal surfaces of those teeth are not in the "smile
zone" I don't think it's necessary to risk the tooth sensitivity in
those areas for teeth people don't see when you smile.
