Tooth bleaching may be performed on the external part of the tooth or internally. The external tooth whitening is more common, but the internal tooth bleaching may also be recommended in a number of cases. If you are thinking about whitening your teeth and you believe you may need internal tooth bleaching, learn about the candidacy for such a procedure.
Ideal Candidate
If you want your teeth bleached, the procedure may be done with an external whitening procedure. The internal bleaching is only needed on teeth that have been treated with a root canal, are devitalized, or have internal stains that cannot be removed otherwise.
The internal tooth bleaching can be done provided you have at least 50% of your original tooth, so that the internal bleaching can be performed safely, without causing damage to the pulp of the tooth.
When Internal Tooth Bleaching Is Not Recommended
The internal tooth bleaching is not recommended in the following instances:
- If there are untreated cavities in the tooth
- Loss of dentine or enamel
- If there are composites in the tooth (as these won’t be whitened and should be changed after the whitening)
A dentist can determine whether the procedure is recommended in your case.
