Some people have all the luck in the world – they get the good looks, the smarts, and that megawatt smile to match. Fortunately, you can do something about your smile. Having pearly white teeth can go a long way towards “juicing up” your smile – giving you that movie star smile that can help boost your ego and your relationships.

One of the best ways to achieve a better smile is through teeth whitening trays. Teeth whitening trays are essentially specially form fitted rubber that slots over your teeth. You place special teeth whitening gel inside and leave the formula on to work its wonders.

Now there are many types of teeth whitening trays out there – there are off the shelve home whitening trays which include a cheap rubber tray and some gel. However for the best results you want to get a high quality teeth whitening tray – this will give better results than the trays included in a home whitening kit package.

Why? Because when the tray is not custom fitted, gel will leak out and the bleaching process will not be as effective as it could have been. You may also get uneven bleaching along the sides of your teeth – something that can be VERY noticeable to some people. Now, I want to be clear here, the whitening trays that come with off the shelf home whitening kits will still help whiten your teeth – you just won’t be maximizing your whitening potential.

Now, getting custom fitted whitening trays may be an expensive option for some of you. There are also special trays that replicate the custom fitted ones – these are called “thermoforming whitening trays”. If you don’t have the money for a custom tooth whitening tray, then go with a thermoforming whitening tray. For the most affordable option, get a kit which includes the moldable thermoforming tray – it will include the teeth bleach gel.

I do recommend getting a custom teeth whitening tray for the best long term results. If you want to keep your teeth looking perfectly white, you will have to keep getting regular bleach treatments. For a few teeth bleaching treatments, off the shelf teeth whitening tray kits are fine. But if you intend to keep bleaching your teeth several times a year, it’s worth the money for a custom teeth whitening tray, or at least the thermoforming whitening tray.

Where to find a custom or thermoforming tray? You can visit a dentist to purchase one. Some drug stores may also have thermoforming trays off the shelf. For the best prices and options though, you should opt to look at the many whiten tray vendors on the web.

Spending a bit more money on the tray means that the entire teeth whitening process will be more comfortable and much more effective. You also save more money, since you will only need to buy teeth whitening gels themselves and not the whole teeth whitening kits (which include a tray). So as a long term investment, purchase a standalone tray.