Dr. Joseph B. Brogdon, DDS
Chattanooga, TN

Tooth Bleaching

Many advances have been made in the treatment of dark, dull, discolored or stained teeth.

Tooth bleaching is a fairly simple procedure accomplished by one of two different methods.

The first method involves making impressions or molds of your teeth.  Plaster models are made from these molds and then thin plastic trays to cover your teeth are made from the models.  A small amount of the bleaching solution is placed in the trays and you wear the trays 1 1/2 - 2 hours a day.    Most people see a very noticeable whitening in 1 - 2 weeks.  For those who have deeper stains, example stains caused by tetracyeine (taken as a child) acceptable results may require several weeks of treatment.

The second method, which is rapidly becoming the bleaching method of choice, requires only one appointment.  At this appointment, a very safe bleaching solution is applied to the teeth and then exposed to a small intense light which activates the bleach.  This is repeated 2 -3 times, then the teeth are polished.  the whole process takes about 40 minutes.  The results are immediate and dramatic.