How To Use Lumos Smile's Starter Kit.

Lumos At Home Dental Impression Kit: A Breakdown On How To Make A Great Impression.

Everything you need to know to get them just right.

IN THIS ARTICLE

Taking good impressions is crucial for your Lumos whitening treatments. These imprints of your teeth allow our dental lab to make custom fit bleaching trays that fit the exact shape of your mouth and the current position of your teeth. But don't stress, this step-by-step guide will make you a pro. If you still have questions or need help, schedule a video call to take your impressions with a Lumos team member.

What Is A Dental Impression?

A dental impression is an imprint of the teeth and mouth that records their shape, size, and position of the teeth, gums and surrounding tissues. An accurate dental impression helps our lab make an exact replica of your teeth, resulting in a perfect-fitting teeth whitening tray.

How Does The Dental Impression Process Work?

Lumos's Starter impression kit makes it easy to create a dental impression at home. Our teeth whitening kit has all the material you need to take your impressions. Fill an impression tray with the putty mixture and place it in your mouth over your teeth. The teeth will displace the impression material, and the impression material will fill up the negative space between the teeth, creating a detailed impression. The tray will need to remain in your mouth until the impression material hardens. You will then send the completed mold in our prepaid bubble mailer to our dental laboratory for further processing.

This step-by-step plan will help you create the impressions our dental lab needs. Read through the entire guide below before you get started, as some steps are dependent on prior steps done right.

Good vs. Bad Impressions

An accurate dental impression helps our lab make an exact replica of your teeth, resulting in a perfect-fitting teeth whitening tray. Small blue parts of the tray sometimes show around the tooth structure but if you have all of the aspects below it is considered a good impression.

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What Does A Good Dental Impression Look Like?

Clearly Visible Gum Line Captured

It's important to make sure your teeth come into light contact with the bottom of the tray. When you place the tray with putty in your mouth, make sure to apply even pressure with your thumbs on the bottom of each side of the tray. It’s easiest to place your thumbs on your back teeth and rest them along your teeth while applying light pressure to capture both your teeth and gum line.

Using consistent and even pressure, slowly and gently push the impression tray until your teeth come into light contact with the impression tray. This should be far enough up on your teeth to capture your entire gumline of the front and back of your teeth. When your gumline shows in the impression when you take your tray out - you nailed it!

Even Pressure On Both Sides Of The Tray

Properly Mixed Putty

Clear Imprint Of Each Tooth

Each impression must fully capture both your teeth and gums. Gently bite down until your teeth come in light contact with your tray. Use your thumbs to gently hold the tray in place and ensure that it does not move while you make your impression. Use your thumbs to apply even pressure throughout so that the impression captures your entire mouth, including your molars. You should feel the putty hitting your gums in the back and front.

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What Does A Bad Dental Impression Look Like?

No Visible Gum Line Captured

We need to see the gumline clearly all along the impression in order to successfully whiten your teeth at home with a custom fit teeth whitening tray. It is important to not just capture your teeth but also capture your gumline clearly so teeth whitening gel sits on the teeth.

Uneven Pressure Used

Not Properly Mixed Putty

The impression putty - you have around 30 - 40 seconds to thoroughly mix 1 green and 1 white putty together until it forms one solid color. You will need to roll the putty into a 4 inch log. If you see lines or have marbled looking putty you did not mix properly. The green and white putties must be fully mixed together until they are one solid color, otherwise the mixture will not set properly.

Tray Not Fully Seated

If your dental impression looks like any of these photos above, you need to try again. An accurate dental impression helps our lab make an exact replica of your teeth, resulting in a perfect-fitting teeth whitening tray. An extra set of putty is included in every kit, simply remove the old putty from the tray and try again. As they say, practice makes perfect.

Tips & Hacks

What Can I Do To Make The Impression Process More Comfortable?

We understand that this process may seem daunting, but we promise you it's easy! Our impression material is a soft putty that does not drip, making this process achievable for the ultimate gaggers. Schedule time with one of our licensed dental professionals to take your impressions together, virtually. We know all the tricks and tips to help anyone make a great first impression. It's key to take your time, bite slowly, and take deep breaths through your nose and practice the process before you start mixing the putty. If you have had a difficult time with dental impressions in the past, schedule time with a Lumos team member to help you make a great impression.

Schedule your impression session

Keep Your Head Up Straight

Breathe Through Your Nose

Distracting Your Mind

Tray Not Fully Seated

What Comes In A Lumos Starter Kit

2 x Impression Trays
3 x Green Putties
3 x White Putties
1 x Set of Gloves
1 x Prepaid bubble mailer

Before You Get Started...

Follow the easy prep-steps below, and you’ll be well on your way to making a good impression. Bright lights and a mirror will come in handy when making your impressions. So the bathroom might be the best place to start.

Check The Size And Fit Of Blue Trays

Get Putty Ready

Brush And Floss

Wash Your Hands

Get Your Timer Ready

Have A Towel Near By

Step By Step Lumos Dental Impression Instructions

Getting started is simple. You’ll be making two impressions; top & bottom. Each one takes about 3 ½ minutes to complete. Start by making a top impression, checking it to be sure it came out just right. If anything seems off, you can correct it on your second try.

Each impression must fully capture both your teeth and gums. Gently bite down until your teeth come in light contact with your tray. Use your thumbs to gently hold the tray in place and ensure that it does not move while you make your impression. The green and white putties must be fully mixed together until they are one solid color, otherwise the mixture will not set properly. Use your thumbs to apply even pressure throughout so that the impression captures your entire mouth, including your molars. You should feel the putty hitting your gums in the back and front.

Step 1: Mix Putty Together

To mix your putty, start by putting your gloves on. Take one container of green putty and one container of white putty and start mixing them together until they are one solid uniform color. Keep in mind, once you begin mixing you have to work fast, then immediately place the mold in your mouth.

The putty mixture will start to set in 35 seconds.

Mix: Blend the green and white putties together until they form one color with no visible swirls.

Step 2: Roll Putty Into 4 Inch Log

Step 3: Place Putty Into The Tray

Step 4: Place Impression Tray In Your Mouth

As soon as the putty is ready in the tray, inspect it quickly, put it in your mouth by aligning the center of the tray to the center of your two front teeth. Press fully over your teeth to make an impression by pushing with your thumbs. Push your teeth into the tray until the putty covers your gumline and your teeth come into slight contact with the tray.

Don't not bite! You might be tempted to push down on the trays with the strength of your jaws. Resist the urge! Biting pushes your teeth too hard into the bottom of the tray, and that makes your impressions less effective. Hold it in place with your thumbs for 3 1⁄2 minutes.

Step 5: Let The Putty Harden In Your Mouth

Step 6: Remove Your Tray

Step 7: Inspect Your Impression

Step 8: Repeat

Step 9: Pack Up Your Impressions

Questions?

Email us at [email protected] or schedule time to speak with a Lumos team member.

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How To Use Our At Home Dental Impression Starter Kit