Internal bleaching is a procedure which brightens the tooth from the inside out. A tooth which has sustained trauma or has been previously treated with a root canal may start to darken over time. This type of staining develops inside the tooth and can’t be whitened with traditional tooth whitening systems which can only remove external surface stains.
With internal bleaching, a small opening is made on the back side of the tooth and a bleaching material is placed inside the opening. The opening is then sealed up with a temporary filling and the bleaching material stays inside the tooth for 7-14 days at a time. When you return to our office, we will evaluate the shade of the tooth and determine if another round of bleaching is necessary to achieve the desired shade. Once you are satisfied with the shade, the bleaching material is removed and the tooth is restored with a permanent filling. Please let us know if you are interested in internal bleaching and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.
