least a portion of a person's teeth. Custom trays generally fit with a greater accuracy of adaptation to the shapes of the teeth than stock trays. Custom trays are used in dentistry for performing various functions in the mouth. These functions include impression material carrier, bruxism protection, athletic guard, airway maintenance, surgical stents, medicament carrier, and so on. Medicaments to be carried in custom trays include tooth whitening agents, anticariogenic agents, antibacterial agents, desensitizing agents, and so on. In contrast to the laboratory fabricated splints, stents and night guards with occlusal pressure indicators, custom trays are commonly made in dental offices.
In one common process for forming custom dental trays, the steps include taking impressions of the teeth, pouring plaster into the impressions to form plaster models of thewhitening gel. The thicker tray is used to seat the pliable inner tray on the dental arch, and is then discarded. The pliable inner tray is adhered to the teeth via the sticky medicament, and is finger-molded to enhance adaptation to the teeth. The moldability of the pliable inner tray material is not substantially altered during this process. Trays made with this process tend to be less accurately conformed to the teeth.
In a fourth process for forming custom dental trays, a pliable tray is pre-loaded with a sticky medicament. The pliable tray is adhered to the teeth via the sticky medicament, and is finger molded to enhance adaptation to the teeth. The moldability of the pliable tray material is not substantially altered during this process. Trays made with