Simple Steps to Taking a Good Impression with Your Impression Kit

Taking impressions is one of the first steps towards getting your custom invisible trays made. Your teeth are unique in the way that they are shaped and in their alignment with each other. For this reason, we will need custom impressions showing your exact teeth so that we can create trays that will move your teeth to a more ideal and esthetic position.

We want this process to be simple and easy for all our patients so we have created easy to follow steps and tips for you! Our goal is for you to find that taking good dental impressions at home is a breeze.

Taking a Good Impression:

When it comes to taking a good impression it is important to make sure that the impression shows the details that our software needs to generate your unique trays. It's important that the impressions show every tooth and that there aren't air pockets or voids in the impression material. Any imperfections in the impression could inhibit our software from having the correct information that it needs to draw up plans for your perfect smile.

Take time to read through all the steps provided below before taking your first impression. Taking a good impression is time dependent so you want to be sure to be prepared for the entire process. You won't want to waste time trying to understand the instructions while the putty is hardening as this can lead to poor impressions. Let's get started!

Step 1: Set up:

It is important that your mouth and teeth are clean prior to taking impressions. Food particles can stick to the impression material and if this happens it can create bubbles or voids the impressions. Cleaning your teeth is as simple as brushing and flossing well to remove food and bacteria. Once your mouth is clean you are ready for your dental impression kit!

Step 2: Glove Up!

Since you are going to be working in your mouth, we want to provide you with the proper protection to do so. A pair of gloves is provided in your dental impression kit. Open the kit and put on the gloves. You will be wearing these gloves from start to finish of the impression process.

Step 3: Check Tray Fitting:

Even as adults, our mouths can be different sizes. While the impression trays that are provided fit most mouths, you may find that the tray is too small or too big for you. So let's take a look and see how the trays fit you.

1. Without putting any material in the tray, insert the first tray into your mouth.
2. It can be easiest to insert one side of the tray and then stretch your smile to get the other side of the tray to follow.
3. Once the whole tray is in, your teeth should rest in the center of the tray.
4. Make sure the sides of the tray don't rub the inside or the outside of your teeth.
5. Make sure the tray covers all your teeth, including all molars.
6. Repeat this process twice, once for the bottom tray and top tray.

If you did find that one or both of the trays don't fit well, contact us and we will send out additional sizes for you.

Step 4: Using Putty:

Now it is time to mix the putty. Prior to opening putting ingredient containers, you should make sure that you have a timer handy. Once the putty is mixed, it will begin to set or harden so you do want to make sure you keep moving to step 5 in a timely manner.

Your impression kit comes with 2 different putty containers that will need to be mixed together.

1. Open these 2 different putty containers.
2. Mix them together.
3. They are completely mixed when the colors are blended together into one color (about 30 seconds of mixing).

Now roll the putty in your palms until it forms a 4-inch sausage shape. Place this shaped putty into your first tray. The putty should fill the tray completely to both ends. Shaping the putty and filling the tray should only take about 15 seconds.

Step 5: Taking Impressions:

To take your first impression, place the tray in your mouth so that your teeth rest in the center of the tray. Apply gentle but firm pressure to the tray with your fingers. Keep pushing until the putty reaches your gum tissue and then don't move the tray. You will need to let the tray stay in your mouth for 4 minutes while the impression material continues to set.

Step 6: Distract Yourself Without Moving The Tray:

• Mentally sing the lyrics to your favorite song.
• Breathe in and out through your nose.
• Wiggle your toes.
• Read a magazine.
• Draw or color a picture.

Step 7: Remove the Tray

After 4 minutes, you can remove the tray. Pull straight down on the impression's handle to release the impression mold from your teeth. Leave the impression in the plastic tray and gently set the tray back in the impression kit box that you will be returning to us.

Step 8: Repeat

You will repeat these steps until you have two upper and two lower arch trays to send back with your impression kit.

That's it! We all love Smile Impressions and we hope that these simple steps and tips have helped you to see that you too can easily take impressions by using our dental impression kit at home. It really doesn't get much easier than Smile Impressions! We know life is busy for you and that's why we keep this system easy for you! Get those impressions done and we will handle your smile from here! Once you send in your impression tray, you can expect to see your custom invisible trays on your doorstep in about 2 weeks!

If you haven't ordered your Teeth Impression Kit yet, what are you waiting for? You can visit us at www.upsmiles.com and get started by ordering your kit today!