Who Needs Opalescence Instructions?
It is normal convention for a teeth whitening gel kit to come with full end-user instructions. However, there is an unfortunate situation where Opalescence instructions are not being shipped with some Opalescence products because these kits were originally intended to be distributed only to dentists to resell. However, many of these kits are now being made available directly to customers without Opalescence instructions (although at significantly reduced prices) and as a result, many customers do not receive Opalescence instructions with their purchase. If this is your situation, or if you are simply interested in the full Opalescence procedure, the instructions provided here will be useful to you, and cover every Opalescence carbamide peroxide concentration (10%, 15%, 20%, and 35%).
Opalescence Instructions – Step-by-Step
Step 1: Spread gel into your custom bleaching tray/retainer using a maximum of one-half (1/2) to one-third (1/3) of a syringe.
Step 2: Brush your teeth, then insert both trays (top and bottom) onto your teeth. Optionally you can do the process with one tray at a time or alternate treatments between the top and bottom.
Any excess gel that overflows from the tray onto the gums should be removed with a cotton ball, tissue, soft toothbrush, or clean finger. This is important because prolonged exposure to the gums can cause significant irritation.
Opalescence instructions state that this process can be repeated every day for the duration of the treatment but for sensitive teeth we recommend at least every-other day to give your teeth and gums time to recover. There is really no rush and spacing out the treatment will provide greater comfort without any negative effects.
Step 3: For Opalescence 10% and 15%, remove the tray after a maximum of 4 to 6 hours during the day or 8 to 10 hours during the night.
For Opalescence 20%, remove the tray after 2 to 4 hours during the day and only consider overnight treatment if your teeth can tolerate the 20% concentration well. Although the standard Opalescence instructions do not include this, based on customer feedback, we do not recommend an overnight exposure for the first few treatments until you have tried shorter durations and found that your tooth and gum sensitivity is tolerable.
For Opalescence 35%, remove the tray after a maximum of 30 minutes. According to Opalescence instructions, the 35% treatment can be done up to twice a day but if you experience too much discomfort, we recommend only once a day to avoid excessive tooth and gum irritation.
Step 4: After removing the trays, brush your teeth normally. Then rinse the trays in cool water (note that hot water can warp or distort certain types of bleaching trays) and store them in a cool place out of the sun.
Length of Treatment
This is a common question: how long should you continue to use Opalescence. In fact there is nothing in the Opalescence instructions about the duration. Your dentist might have come up with an estimate but really it is up to you. If the whitening gel is working for you, as long as the sensitivity or irritation are tolerable or negligible, you can use this product until you achieve the desired whiteness. In short, here is the only Opalescence instructions we can give on duration: continue to use it until you achieve the desired results.
After you have completed the treatment, you will probably want to do a touch-up treatment every so often to maintain your pearly whites. Everyone’s teeth are different due to many factors so it is up to you and/or your dentist to find how Opalescence works best for you. For example, once every six months you might want to resume the treatment for several days. However, as there are no Opalescence instructions on this specific point, do the touch up treatments as you see fit and best of luck with your teeth whitening!