While you probably already know that there are a number of types of systems and products that can be used to whiten teeth, you may not be aware of the fact that since the early 1990's more dentists have chosen to utilize tray-based teeth whitening technique with their patients than any other bleaching system.

The typical dentist dispensed tray-based teeth whitening system involves the use of a plastic tray (a "custom bleaching tray") that has been fabricated and adjusted so it fits comfortably over the patient's teeth. The custom tray is then sent home with the patient along with a quantity of carbamide peroxide (10% concentration) bleaching gel and instructions describing how to use them. In general, the idea is that the patient needs to place dabs of the whitener into the bleaching tray and then seat the tray over their teeth. The tray is worn for multiple hours per day (or else overnight), over a series of days or weeks (per the dentist's and manufacturer's instructions), as the effects of the whitening process are allowed to take place.