These Custom-Fit Trays Took My Teeth Whitening To The Next Level — Here’s How
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As I am both vain and cheap (truth!), I’ve been a regular user of whitening strips since my coffee habit started in college. They do a fine job and the price is right, but my ears perked up when I heard about Smile Brilliant — a lab-direct service that creates custom-fit trays, so you can get a professional teeth whitening kit at a very reasonable price. And you don’t have to go to the dentist, either. This sounded like a tempting situation, as I don’t like making dental appointments, and I’d rather spend hundreds of dollars on, well, nice coffee and red wine (which, ahem, further contribute to my teeth staining). I was excited to see if Smile Brilliant was the answer to my dilemma.
What Is Smile Brilliant?
Smile Brilliant offers professional at-home teeth whitening kits — no dental visits or high prices necessary. How? The company has its own lab and sends you all the materials you need to make impressions of your teeth with your own two hands. This translates into a much lower cost — as little as $149 in total— as opposed to anywhere from $500 to $1,000 if you were to go to a D.D.S. for teeth whitening.
How Smile Brilliant Works
- Smile Brilliant sends you all the materials you need to create impressions of your teeth at home.
- After you make an impression of your teeth, drop if off at the post office in the prepaid envelope.
- You’ll receive whitening gel treatments and custom-made trays within a couple weeks.
Smile Brilliant Versus Other At-Home Whitening Methods
In comparison to generic boil-and-bite trays or whitening strips, the American Dental Association notes that custom-fit trays may result in less gum irritation simply because the gel is less likely to leak out and make contact with the gums. This is a great benefit for anyone who tends to find whitening to be an uncomfortable process. To further help on the reactivity front, Smile Brilliant offers kits designed for sensitive teeth, as well as a desensitizing gel to prevent any additional tooth irritation.
Custom-made trays also reach all your teeth — including the ones in back — which means you’re getting consistent coverage. Trays are also designed to not slide around in your mouth as you wear them — a personal gripe I have with whitening strips.
What Was Great About My Smile Brilliant Experience
Obviously, the low cost was a huge selling point for me. The price felt reasonable for the quality and customer service I got. Also, now that I have custom-fit trays in my possession, I can simply order teeth whitening gel refills at any time, and those are pretty budget-friendly on the Smile Brilliant site.
As far as the actual whitening treatments went, I found the trays to be much less noticeable in my mouth than strips because they didn’t shift around, and I could comfortably wear them for up to two hours, which I did while working. I also used the desensitizing gel after several of my treatments when my teeth started acting up, and it definitely helped ease any discomfort.
I was also super pleased with the results, and after I finished my treatments, friends consistently commented on how white my teeth looked. I can honestly say that the coverage provided by the custom trays made a remarkable difference as far as results go.
What I Didn’t Love
The biggest drawback for me was the challenge of creating the teeth impression myself. There’s a fair bit of technique involved; you need to mix the clay and set it in the trays within a very short timeframe, and you need to place your teeth in the clay-filled trays just so. It took me several tries, and I ended up emailing pictures to Smile Brilliant to verify that the molds were usable. Someone got back to me within 24 hours, which impressed me — i.e., I was happy to be getting solid customer service, even if I wasn’t using a dentist. In the end, paying less money and not having to go to the dentist made up for the tricky process of making the impressions myself.
Is Smile Brilliant For Everyone?
Smile Brilliant is definitely a great deal for anyone trying to get professional-level results without dipping too far into their wallet. (It’s also perfect for people who are too lazy to make an extra trip to the dentist — zero judgment.) That being said, you should be 12 years of age or older, and you should not be currently pregnant or breastfeeding. Of course, it’s always worth checking in with your dentist first — especially if you have any existing concerns.
How Much Does Professional Teeth Whitening Cost With Smile Brilliant?
The cost of your treatment depends on the level of staining you have and how sensitive your teeth are. If your teeth aren’t prone to discomfort and you’re only tackling light stains, you can get a non-sensitive kit for as little as $149, and prices go up incrementally for average and heavy stains. If you have reactive teeth, it’s worth paying a little extra for the sensitive kit, which includes desensitizing gel to rehydrate teeth and soothe any discomfort. Prices for sensitive systems range from $159 to $189.
Final Thoughts
After my experience, I would say that Smile Brilliant is arguably the best way to whiten teeth at home that I’ve come across — especially if you’re frustrated with whitening strips but unwilling to spend half a paycheck on the dentist. I found the whole process to be seamless (aside from my teeth mold-making mishaps) and very reasonably priced. My teeth look great (if I do say so myself) and I’m super pleased that I can keep up my coffee and red wine routine knowing I now have access to amazing teeth whitening results when I need it.
Shop Smile Brilliant’s System For Non-Sensitive Teeth
Shop Smile Brilliant’s System For Sensitive Teeth
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