During which procedure is the adhesive applied to the impression tray?

The correct choice involves the procedure of final impression taking. During this stage, an adhesive is applied to the impression tray to ensure that the impression material adheres well to the tray, providing a more accurate and stable impression of the dental structures. This is crucial because a well-adhered impression helps to capture detailed anatomy and minimizes distortion, which is necessary for creating accurate models for prosthetics, restorations, or orthodontic appliances.

In contrast, mixing dental cement typically involves preparing materials but does not require the use of an impression tray or adhesive. Tray fabrication, while it may involve various steps to create a custom tray, usually pertains to ensuring the tray's shape and fit rather than applying adhesive during the impression process. Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure that focuses on the application of whitening agents to the teeth and does not involve the use of impression trays or adhesives in this context.