Having whiter teeth and a brighter smile isn’t about how your smile looks to you — it’s about how your smile looks to others. In fact, research shows that having whiter and brighter teeth can seriously impact how you feel about yourself and the impression you’re making on friends, colleagues, and loved ones.
If your teeth have superficial stains, a professional whitening with special topical gels can be a great choice for restoring those pearly whites. But sometimes, stains and darkening occur inside your tooth — in the deep part of your tooth where topical whiteners just can’t reach.
At Robert Scott Nance, DDS, MS, PA, we use state-of-the-art internal teeth whitening to get rid of tooth discoloration inside the tooth structure. If you’ve tried topical whitening, but you’re not getting the results you’re looking for, you might need internal (intrinsic) whitening. Here’s how it works.
Most of us know about extrinsic tooth stains. These are stains caused by smoking, poor oral hygiene, and foods and beverages with deep pigments. All of these substances can leave residues on the tooth surface.
Over time, the residues penetrate the upper layers of the tooth, making one or more teeth look yellowed, gray, brown, or just plain dingy. Because they’re on the upper layers of the tooth, extrinsic stains can be removed with in-office and at-home whitening kits.
Intrinsic stains occur in the deeper layers of teeth. These stains are usually caused by decay, infection, or trauma to the tooth. Some diseases and medications can cause intrinsic stains too. Because intrinsic stains are in the deep part of the tooth, they require special techniques to eliminate them.
Intrinsic whitening starts with a careful evaluation of your tooth to determine the cause and extent of discoloration. If the discoloration is due to untreated decay or traumatic damage, those issues will need to be addressed first, before any whitening treatment.
Once Dr. Nance determines your tooth is ready for intrinsic whitening, he begins by thoroughly numbing your tooth so you stay comfortable and relaxed. Next, he makes a very tiny hole in the back of your tooth and uses the hole to inject a special whitening paste into the tooth’s interior.
If your tooth is badly decayed and needs a root canal, he can inject the whitening paste during your root canal procedure.
After the paste is in place, he seals your tooth, protecting the tooth structure while giving the paste plenty of time to go to work whitening and lightening the discolored areas of the tooth. In most cases, you can resume your regular tooth care right away, brushing and flossing the same day as your whitening treatment.
Your smile is one of the first features people notice about you. With intrinsic tooth whitening, you can eliminate even the most stubborn stains, revealing a more attractive, more youthful smile you can be proud of.
To learn more about intrinsic whitening and whether it’s a good choice for you, call the practice in Statesville or Hickory, North Carolina, or book an evaluation using our online form today.
