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Internal Whitening

September 6, 2007 by Ian Kerr

Some times, when a front tooth dies off it can darken and ruin an otherwise attractive smile. Previously the only way to improve the appearance of the tooth was to cut it down and cover it with a porcelain crown or a veneer. This worked OK but was destructive to the tooth, leaving it weakened and prone to fracture.

Fortunately, newer techniques using whitening gels allow us to lighten the tooth colour so leaving it natural looking and much stronger than if it had been crowned. The two cases below show the sorts of results we can achieve using this internal whitening approach.

In both cases it was necessary to redo the root canal filling as there was infection present under each tooth. The technique was the same for each case and involved the patient using a whitening gel in a close fitting mouth guard for 5 days, worn each night and as much as possible during the day. A small access cavity was left open in the back of the tooth, which allows the patient to place the gel inside the tooth each time, so maximising the whitening effect. At the end of the five days the cavity is refilled and the tooth left in it’s otherwise natural state.

ur3-dark-before.jpg

This very dark tooth would need to be very heavily drilled if it was to be covered by a crown or veneer.

ur3-rct-before.JPG

The root canal filling was of poor quality and needed replacing.

ur3-rctcropped-after.jpg

Once the root canal filling was replaced the access cavity was left open to allow internal whitening.

ur3-internal-bleaching-cavitycropped.jpg

At the end of the five days the cavity was resealed and the tooth was fully whitened

ur3-bleaching-cavity-filled-cropped_edited-1.jpg

ur3-whitened.jpg

The following case used exactly the same technique and was an extremely rewarding result as it saved the patient from having very surgical enhancement if the tooth had been lost.

ul2-before-smile-shot.jpg

ul2-retracted-smile-before.jpg

The dark tooth really detracted from an otherwise lovely smile.  Again the root filling need replacing first.

ul2-open-apex-beforecropped.jpg

ul2-open-apex-after-cropped.jpg

The result took five days to achieve and has left the patient feeling much more confident about her smile.

ul2-smile-shot-after.jpg

ul2-retracted-smile-after.jpg

If you would like to know more about the techniques used here, then please call the surgery on 01580 752202 and speak to our treatment co-ordinator Victoria Eaton.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Clinical Cases

About Ian Kerr

Dr Ian Kerr BDS qualified in 1989 from Newcastle University Dental School and has worked ever since in both private practice and hospital settings. Following a short stint in a busy general practice in the North East Dr Kerr went to live and work in Trinidad, where he learnt a wide range of surgical skills and developed an interest in the treatment of tempero-mandibular joint dysfunction (TMD). On returning to the UK in 1994 Dr Kerr worked in a prestigious private practice in Bromley in Kent. During his time there he completed extensive post graduate training in advanced restorative techniques and further advanced his interest in TMD.

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About StoneRock Dental Care

StoneRock Dental Care is a stunning dental practice in Hawkhurst, Nr Cranbrook on the Kent and East Sussex border. We provide every level of care, from routine family dental visits to complete cosmetic dental makeovers, including dental implants, teeth whitening, veneers, bridges and other cosmetic dental and facial aesthetic techniques.

We know how hard it can be to choose a dentist and we know how tough it can be to decide what treatment is right for you, therefore we put your comfort and your well being at the heart of every treatment that we provide.

You can contact us on 01580 752202 or info@stonerock.co.uk

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