Internal tooth whitening

[Robyn]

Hi

I had a riding accident when I was a teenager and my front tooth became very dark and discoloured. My dentist at the time, did a root filling on my tooth and told me that I should have a crown when I am a bit older.

I did not have a crown because I did not wish to have my tooth shaved down any more that it already was shaved down for the root filling. But the tooth discolouration has always bothered me.

I saw a cosmetic dentist recently to look for solutions to whiten this discoloured tooth without having a crown. He suggested having internal tooth whitening but said that the procedure might not work.

I would like to know exactly what is involved in internal tooth whitening and if in your opinion, I would be better off having a crown rather than internal tooth whitening?

After all if the internal teeth whitening success rate is low, I might be better off spending the money on getting a porcelain crown for my front tooth instead.

[Dr Vahid Motahar]

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

I have to say I fully agree with your dentist suggestion. Why you might ask? This is beacuse what your dentist has suggested is the simplest and most conservative treatment. There is no dring and tooth removal. In Internal whitening the pulp chamber (ie where the nervre of the tooth was in the crown part of it and not root) is accessed, the top end near the root is sealed with some materila and then the whitening factor is placed and the chamber sealed again and closed, entraping the whitening gel inside the tooth. This and in a lot of cases with external whitening system will produc very effective result and whitens the discoloured teeth.

My recommendation wouldbe to try this system first. If you achieved the result you want then it is the end of it and after a week or so the gel frominside will be removed and the cavity filled with filling matterial. If you did not achieve what you want then you always have the option of pocelain veneers or crowns.

The best part of whitening option is that everything that is doen is reversible but if you teeth are drilled to have crowns or veneers, then that will not be reversible. Once the tooth is removed, it cannot be placed back on. So I suggest whitening and if not effective then alternative options to be considered.

[Nelsonn]

A teeth whitening system can be had through the means of the World Wide Web and is considered essential for allowing your teeth to regain their healthy glow. As and when we grow older and eat varied diets and drink numerous fluids, our teeth start to show a yellowish layer on top. This needs to be removed through the means of a proven teeth whitening system. Once your teeth regain their normal glow, they give a good impression about your dental health as well.

[maeve121]

I read that in Internal whitening the pulp chamber is accessed, the top end near the root is sealed with some materila and then the whitening factor is placed and the chamber sealed again and closed.
Is it true..?

[Dr Ehsan J. Esfahani]

Hi

Thank you for your question.

A single discoloured tooth may arise following root canal treatment or trauma to the tooth. The typical bluish-brown discolouration is seen as blood products from the pulp leak into the tooth. Provided the seal from the root canal filling is good, internal tooth whitening is a simple technique which can be used to improve the appearance.

An x-ray of the tooth is taken to ensure that there is no infection at the end of the root. Then the filling at the back of the tooth is removed. A liquid paste containing the bleaching material is placed in the tooth and a temporary filling is used to seal it inside. It is usually left for a week, and may require two or three repeats to progressively whiten the tooth over a number of visits. When the colour is satisfactory, a permanent white filling is used to re-seal the hole at the back of the tooth.

The procedure is very conservative because it does not involve removing enamel from the tooth as would be the case if a crown or a veneer were used to mask the discoloured tooth instead.

[LJSB]

Hi

I had the same issue with my front tooth after an accident as a teenager. I had the nerve removed from one and it discoloured internally. To be honest, I'm scared of smiling because the tooth is almost blue and I've had enough. The dentist said that internal bleaching only lasts a little while..? Also, I dont know what other options there are for me because the two front teeth are fractured...