Teeth whitening trays - disaster

[Favouritepigeon]

I whitened my teeth about a year and a half ago using Enlighten Whitening via my dentist. I'm really pleased with the results and I top up a couple of times a year with the left over solution, and bought a new syringe full a couple of weeks ago.

Yesterday, I went to get my trays out, opened the little case and they weren't in there. I've searched the house from top to bottom but there's no sign of them anywhere. I think I have probably thrown them away by accident after popping them into some tissue to dry. I'm very upset about this but have accepted they've gone.

I can order new trays from the dentist but they will cost me a small fortune. Also, I would like avoid the embarrassment of having to tell him that I've lost them. I can see that there are various options to order trays online but there are so many and I'm struggling to work out if they are any good. I don't want to bother if they will only last a few months or if the quality is poor or if they are uncomfortable.

Has anyone ordered trays online and done the molds themselves, sent them off to be made up etc? Any recommendations please?

Thank you!

If you tell him you've lost them he might give you a discount on a new set? If they already have the impression thing to make it? Or maybe the lab just throws them away? Either way just ask.

My dentist is lovely and would probably try and do something to help in terms of cost.

I lost mine and managed to get new ones made with a fraction of the price by dentist selling via amazon. They sent the kit to do the moulds and then sent the trays. Cost about £50-60

That's great, was the quality good? Was there a long wait? Was it easy to do? There are quite a few selling on Amazon and I have no idea how to pick a good one!

I'm seeing him on Wednesday about something unrelated. I feel that if I mention it, he will give me a hundred reasons why I shouldn't get one online, then I will feel obliged to agree to him doing a new set.

I would go through your dentist. God knows what the ones for £50 are made out of. Could be leeching toxins into your mouth all night.

Hmm. It doesn't sound like you trust him, like he's very money driven and will have pound signs in his eyes when he hears you lost it?

He should be understanding but respectful of your budget. And your choice if you can't afford his prices to replace it. I guess you could try say your dog ate them?! 🤣

If that's the case honestly you should find a new dentist. But he won't 'recommend' online ones. No dentist would. They should respect your choice but give honest clinical advice about it though.

Oh god, he's not like that at all. I'm just being tight!

My point is, is there something that is cheaper and does the job? As you say, the dentist is never going to recommend online options.

I think I'm just talking myself into spending the money and getting the dentist to do it. To be honest, I'm angry at myself for losing the originals and begrudge having to pay out as a result of my own stupidity.

I done this exact same thing a few weeks ago . Not only did i throw out my moulds to stop teeth grinding at night but through out my teeth whitening ones also.

Now I don’t feel so bad for throwing DSs retainers down the toilet. I’ve just had to pay £200 for new ones from the dentist

The thing about whitening trays is they have to be a really good fit in order for the gel not to leach out .

when I was a dental student it took me around 15 goes before I produced a decent impression on another student . That was with decent trays, of the right size and shape (there are many different sizes of tray) and using premium dental materials that shrink by the exact same amount that the plaster used to make the moulds expands . The impressions were then poured up on the premises , or in practice picked up daily by the laboratory so they weren’t sitting around in the post exposed to extremes of temperature etc which will affect the accuracy of the impression.

The reason why dentists won’t advise you do your own impressions and send them off in the post is because taking your own impressions in trays that may not be the right size , in cheap materials , then sending through the post may very well not result in excellently fitting trays.

Very good point, you have convinced me to do it properly!

Do they last very long @Lollygagglein terms of years?

If you don’t use hot water to clean and are not someone who grinds their teeth then they should last a few years . Mostly people lose them, the dog chews them (dogs love dental appliances ), or they break or wear but four or five years is not unusual.

Good, I'm glad he's not like that. I'd just kind of do a sobber about losing it and see what he says.

I can't advise on online alternatives I'm afraid as only had the dentist ones. I mean if it's just for whitening it's not like if it isn't the best fit it could damage the teeth? Though it could hurt the gums I guess.

You can always hedge it with the dentist
”I think I have mislaid my trays, how much would it cost to replace them?”

If the cost is reasonably you can say “ok let’s order, I’ve looked everywhere”.

And if it is £££ you can say “great, I will come back to you if I can’t find them” and then order cheaper ones elsewhere if you want.

Thats a good idea, thank you

Yes the reason trays have to be so well fitting is that the gel should not come into prolonged contact with the gums as it can burn , and also the gel will wash out too quickly.

proper whitening trays have small reservoirs to hold the match stick head amount of gel you should be using .

The lab bills alone on a good fitting set are more than some people are quoting here.

That makes sense. When I first used mine I put too much stuff and it went on gums and did make them go white and peel off! Not painful but if I did that regularly I'm sure it wouldn't be good!

I lost mine and 20 years later I’m annoyed. But they wouldn’t last that long would they?

Well he gave me a discount on new trays, and sympathised (after laughing!) at my carelessness. It seems I'm not the first person to do this. Thanks for your input everyone.

I sleep in a mouth guard and my dentist is always “you’ve chewed through it? Again?!” While laughing at me