Applying the gel
The part that separates a good treatment from a sore one.
What you will learn
- A thick coat, tooth by tooth
- Which teeth get gel and which do not
- What to do the moment gel touches soft tissue
Part two. The gel going on, tooth by tooth, and the light going in.
How much
A thick coat. Twist the pen until the gel extrudes, swirl about a third of the pen onto the back of your gloved hand until it warms, then pick up a small bead on the brush. The size of the bead depends on the tooth.
Work tooth by tooth. Dab the gel on each tooth right up to the gum without touching it. Cover every tooth that will be exposed to the light. The back molars do not need it, because nobody sees them and the light does not reach them.
How many teeth you cover changes from client to client, because everyone’s smile is a different width.
The moment it touches gum
If gel touches soft tissue, remove it immediately. Not at the end of the round. Immediately.
If the gum turns white, that is blanching, and if the client mentions sensitivity at the same time, apply vitamin E to that spot.
Even coverage matters as much as thickness. Spread the third of a pen across every tooth you are treating so you still have two more rounds in the pen.
On the exam. This lesson answers question 3.