“Can you do something about my grey tooth?”
WHAT IS INTERNAL TOOTH WHITENING?
Internal Tooth Whitening is a whitening procedure that is commonly performed on dark stained teeth that have lost their vitality by undergoing Endodontic dental treatment (root canal treatment). Of course, this isn’t going to be the answer for every tooth that has a grey or dark discolouration. It comes down to what the cause of the staining is.
WHY IS MY TOOTH GREY?
There are many reasons why your tooth might appear grey. Anything that cuts off blood flow to the tooth can result in the tooth dying and changing colour. The most common reasons are:
- The tooth has died due to an injury, i.e a fall or knock.
- The tooth has had root canal treatment.
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Upon examining the area, if the tooth has had successful root canal treatment, it may be eligible for internal tooth whitening. This is simply placing whitening gel inside and outside the tooth. After a thorough discussion with your dentist, internal tooth whitening is an easy, minimally invasive and quick solution to brightening up that grey tooth!
HOW DOES IT WORK?
As with conventional tooth whitening, an impression of your teeth is taken and a thin, custom fit tray is made that fits snug around your teeth.
A space is then created at the back of your discoloured tooth. This allows room for you to place the whitening gel.
The whitening gel comes in the form of a syringe. You will use the syringe to fill the tooth space with gel to whiten it from the inside and also to place gel in the tray and fit it over your tooth (this is the outside part of the whitening). The gel is topped up every 3 hours over the course of the day. Then, the tray is worn overnight when you sleep.
For example:
9:00am – Place the gel into the tray
12:00pm – Top up
15:00pm – Top up
18:00pm – Top up
21:00pm – Top up and sleep with the tray in
After the whitening treatment, on day 3 or 4 you will return to the dental practice for a review appointment. The new shade of the tooth is then analysed and the space on the back of the tooth is restored.
HOW LONG WILL THE RESULTS LAST FOR?
The results can vary from each individual, there is no definite life span for internal tooth whitening. Some teeth can darken again over time, some quicker than others. If the tooth was to continue to darken even with the top ups, then another course of inside-outside whitening may be indicated. Normally we recommend once every 3-4 months placing whitening gel in the tray overnight to keep the tooth bright!
IS INTERNAL WHITENING RIGHT FOR YOU?
Internal whitening may not be suitable for everyone, but your dentist will inform you of your available options during your consultation. It is best to avoid online teeth whitening kits, whitening toothpastes, whitening strips and any whitening products that are not prescribed by your dentist. If you are simply after the removal of stains, it is best to have an appointment with your dentist/hygienist and benefit from having your oral health looked after.
Book your consultation with Dr. John McAleavey by clicking here to see how internal teeth whitening will enhance the colour of your teeth!