Can You Whiten Teeth after Root Canal Therapy?

Your teeth accumulate discoloration from your foods and beverages, besides lifestyle habits like smoking leaving stains on your teeth and making them appear ungainly. Unfortunately, if you have recently undergone root canal therapy, you might notice the specifically treated tooth discolouring to make you think you can have the stains removed by visiting cosmetic dentistry requesting traditional Langley teeth whitening treatments provided by the dentist using hydrogen peroxide bleaching ingredients to whiten teeth. However, you might be disappointed when informed by the cosmetic dentistry practice that your discoloured tooth from root canal treatment will likely not respond to conventional whitening remedies and require an intensive procedure to eliminate discoloration of the affected tooth.

Does Your Tooth Change Color after a Root Canal?

After receiving root canal treatment, you might notice that your tooth appears darker than the rest. The reason behind this phenomenon is that after the dentist Langley, BC, removes the infected or inflamed dental pulp, the living portion of your tooth, the blood vessels within can become ruptured, and the colours can stain the tooth’s insides, making their appearance through the enamel. Occasionally the filling material used by the dentist to plug the access hole in the crown of your tooth causes discolouration.

Fortunately, dentists have techniques to give you a smile makeover to brighten your teeth even after undergoing root canals in a treatment called endodontic whitening.

If you have a discoloured tooth from root canals, you do not have to fear that you must continue living with it but rest assured that endodontic whitening can brighten the tooth. If you aren’t aware of this procedure, we suggest you continue learning from the information in this article.

Endodontic Whitening Explained

Endodontics is a division of dentistry caring for your dental pulp and soft tissues inside your tooth. As you have received root canal treatment and need endodontic whitening, the dental clinic you visit accesses the treated tooth from where the pulp was removed to whiten your teeth from within. Occasionally dentists performing root canals might complete the whitening treatment during the procedure to ensure you don’t have to return for another appointment later.

Why Are Traditional Whitening Treatments Ineffective against the Treated Tooth?

Traditional whitening treatments are effective against surface stains affecting your tooth enamel. The dentist uses hydrogen peroxide to bleach your teeth when receiving conventional treatments. Unfortunately, these treatments are ineffective against discoloration from root canals.

You require endodontic whitening for the treated tooth because the procedure eliminates intrinsic stains present beneath the enamel.

Expectations during Endodontic Whitening

When presented with a new therapy, you might wonder what you can expect during endodontic whitening. Here is the information you are looking for to ease your concerns.

When you visit the Langley dentist for endodontic whitening, a dental x-ray of your tooth is taken to ensure that the root canal is intact before proceeding with the treatment. The dentist will prepare you for endodontic whitening if you have fully recovered from the treatment.

During endodontic whitening, expect the sedation dentist Langley to provide local anesthesia to create a tiny hole in the tooth from where the dental pulp was removed. After making the access hole, the professional will clean and rinse the area.

Similar to traditional whitening, the dentist places protective gear in your mouth to prevent sensitivity to your mouth’s soft tissues from the whitening ingredients. Whitening treatments are generally safe and effective, but the bleaching ingredients can cause sensitivity and chemical burns without protection to the soft tissues.

After cleaning the access hole, the dentist places a barrier between the sealed root canal and the whitening ingredient. The professional places a calcium hydroxide liner to disinfect the area before placing the eventual filling material. Calcium hydroxide helps reduce residual oxygen at the site, potentially interfering with the strength of the eventual filling and increasing the chances of cervical resorption.

Finally, the dentist will apply sodium perborate whitening ingredients with a minor percentage of hydrogen oxide. The dentist also closes the access hole with temporary cement to prevent the whitening ingredient from leaking.

You might need a couple of appointments to complete endodontic whitening to get your desired shade. After your tooth appears aesthetic, the dentist replaces the temporary cement with a permanent filling with composite resin on the exterior layers of the tooth.

Alternative Therapies for Whitening Teeth After Root Canals

If the thought of undergoing endodontic whitening frightens you, you can opt for alternative therapies like veneers or crowns that restore the appearance of your teeth and strengthen the tooth to support your oral health.

If you decide on dental crowns or veneers, you receive a more permanent remedy against discolouration than temporary whitening treatments. However, permanent restorations are more expensive than endodontic whitening. Therefore you must discuss your choices with the dentist before considering any specific remedy to whiten your teeth, precisely root canal-treated teeth.

NovaCare Dental provides endodontic whitening to give you brighter teeth if you have a canal-treated tooth discoloured. Please do not hesitate to contact our Langley dentist for treatment if it affects your aesthetic appearance.