Bleaching trays are one of the most frequently requested cosmetic appliances in dentistry — simple in concept, yet surprisingly time-consuming to design at scale. For busy labs, repetitive tasks such as undercut block-outs and reservoir sculpting can quickly become production bottlenecks. As digital workflows accelerate across orthodontic, restorative, and implant dentistry, many labs are now asking a new question:

How can we increase bleaching-tray output without increasing technician workload?

At their core, bleaching trays are thin, custom-fitted devices that hold whitening gel evenly across the teeth. Dentists choose them because they offer predictable whitening results and better soft-tissue protection than over-the-counter alternatives. For patients, they remain the preferred option for controlled, effective, at-home whitening prescribed by a clinician.

The traditional manual workflow

Even though bleaching trays appear simple, the production process requires multiple manual steps:

• printing a model from the intraoral scan
• blocking out undercuts
• sculpting a resin reservoir on each individual tooth

From here, every lab follows a familiar path:

• thermoform the bleaching tray over the model
• remove the formed tray and trim it
• smooth all gingival margins for patient comfort

For small practices, this workflow is manageable. But for high-volume digital labs, these repetitive steps consume hours of skilled technician time daily — time that could be spent on appliances with higher clinical or commercial value.

Where AI makes the difference

Relu’s AI automates the most manual parts of bleaching-tray production. Drawing on the same engine used for automated splints, models, and surgical-guide design, the bleaching-tray recipe transforms the workflow into a fast, consistent, scalable process.

With Relu, labs can:

• upload the intraoral scans into the bleaching-tray recipe
• receive a ready-to-print model containing all block-outs and perfectly shaped tooth reservoirs
• thermoform, trim, and finish as usual

The biggest gain is immediate and dramatic: The manual creation of tooth-by-tooth reservoirs disappears.

This step alone typically takes around 15 minutes per case, plus material costs. Removing it reduces technician workload and can cut production costs by approximately €19 per model, depending on local labor and material pricing.

And the capacity impact is transformative: Relu can process up to 100 bleaching-tray cases within minutes.

Labs can now handle seasonal peaks, sudden increases in demand, or daily high-volume batches without delay. AI applies block-outs, reservoir geometry, and undercut control with consistency that is difficult to achieve manually — while technicians retain complete oversight.

For production teams, this means:

• faster turnaround with fewer bottlenecks
• predictable, repeatable quality
• instant scalability through batch uploads
• lower cost per appliance
• reduced dependency on scarce technician time

What patients are choosing today

While dentist-prescribed bleaching trays remain the gold standard, patients increasingly compare them to:

• in-office whitening procedures
• over-the-counter whitening strips
• LED home whitening kits
• whitening toothpastes and gels

These alternatives vary widely in strength and consistency. A custom bleaching tray provides benefits that rely directly on precise design:

• uniform gel contact across all teeth
• controlled dosage guided by the dentist
• minimal gingival irritation due to accurate margins and reservoir geometry

High-quality digital design remains essential — and automation helps labs deliver that quality at scale.

A small appliance with a big workflow impact

As digital dentistry evolves, even seemingly simple devices like bleaching trays benefit enormously from AI automation. Labs can scale production without hiring, clinicians receive reliable and consistent output, and patients enjoy predictable whitening results.

For labs looking to modernise their bleaching-tray workflow — and remove the most repetitive steps from production — Relu’s automated design service is ready to help.

👉 Explore the bleaching-tray recipe relu.ai
👉 Or book a demo to see how quickly you can scale your production.

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