INTERNAL TEETH WHITENING: WHAT’S THE STORY?

What is internal teeth whitening?

As the name suggests, internal whitening is when the inside rather than the outside of the tooth is whitened. We seal off the root canal and drill a small hole in the back of the tooth. The patient then uses a syringe to inject whitening gel into the hole every day. Once staining has gone, we seal the hole with composite filling.

How long does it take for internal teeth bleaching to work?

The great news is, treatment usually takes less than 2 weeks in total but most patients start to see results within just 2 to 3 days.

Can you whiten a dead tooth?

Yes, believe it or not, you can but not from the outside, as you might expect. There are 2 main options: we can either put whitening gel inside the tooth, seal it and see how it looks after 10-14 days or, for best results, our preferred option is for patients themselves to inject whitening gel inside their tooth every day. As long as there is good tooth structure, it can work on any case where there is discolouration following a trauma or root canal treatment. You can also align the tooth with Invisalign if the tooth is not in line Teeth Straightening

Is internal tooth bleaching painful?

No. The only remote grumbles we tend to hear from some patients is that it can be a bit of a faff injecting the whitening gel and inserting the pledget (tiny cotton wool ball to stop food getting in) every day, but that’s about it. Internal whitening is a more conservative, less destructive treatment option than either veneers or crowns, which involve more tooth or enamel being removed.

What causes a tooth to turn black?

If the black is showing through from the inside (ie not on the surface), it most likely comes from blood which has gone into the dentin tubules inside the tooth following a trauma or damage to a tooth (eg a blow to the mouth or a fall) or, sometimes, following root canal treatment.

How much does internal tooth whitening cost?

Internal teeth whitening costs £295 per tooth. External home whitening, which many patients opt for at the same time, costs from £200 per arch. Teeth Whitening