Internal Teeth Whitening for a Discoloured Tooth
Internal teeth whitening, also called internal tooth bleaching, lightens a darkened tooth from the inside after root canal treatment. It is designed for people who have a single tooth that has turned grey, yellow or brown while the rest of their smile looks fine.
At Kingfisher Dental, Dr Joshi and the team help patients from Redditch, Bromsgrove, Kidderminster, Solihull and across the West Midlands bring one stubbornly dark tooth back in line with its neighbours. If a standard whitening treatment has not shifted it, this is usually the reason why, and it is very treatable.
Why has one tooth gone darker?
A single discoloured tooth is rarely down to what you eat or drink. More often, the cause sits inside the tooth:
- Trauma: a knock or blow can damage the nerve, causing the tooth to darken gradually over months or even years.
- A non-vital tooth: when the nerve inside a tooth has died, the tooth can take on a grey or brownish tone.
- Old root fillings: some materials used in older root canal treatments can stain the tooth from within.
If a tooth has recently changed colour, please see a dentist before doing anything else. A newly darkened tooth can be a sign of infection or nerve damage, and it is worth checking properly before any cosmetic treatment is considered.
What is internal tooth bleaching?
Internal bleaching works from the inside out. Instead of applying whitening gel to the outside of the tooth, we place a bleaching agent inside the tooth itself, in the space left behind after root canal treatment. The agent works on the discoloured dentine, which is the layer where the staining actually sits.
This is why external whitening alone cannot fix a non-vital tooth. Whitening trays and strips only reach the enamel surface, so they cannot touch a stain that has built up inside. Treating the cause directly is what makes internal bleaching so effective.
Internal and external whitening combined
Sometimes the best result comes from using both approaches together. If your other teeth are naturally a little darker than you would like, lightening only the one tooth could leave it looking too bright. In that case, we can bleach the discoloured tooth from the inside and whiten the surrounding teeth from the outside, so the whole smile matches.
Your dentist will talk this through at your assessment and recommend the combination that suits your teeth and your goals.
The internal whitening procedure
Every case is a little different, but treatment generally follows these steps:
- Assessment and X-ray: we examine the tooth, check the existing root filling and confirm that the tooth is healthy enough to treat.
- Access and seal: a small opening is made in the back of the tooth, and a protective seal is placed over the root filling to keep the bleaching agent where it belongs.
- Bleaching agent placed: the agent is placed inside the tooth, and the opening is closed with a temporary filling.
- Review visits: you return so we can check progress and refresh the agent if needed, until the tooth reaches the shade we are aiming for.
- Final restoration: once the colour is right, the tooth is sealed with a tooth-coloured filling to protect it and complete the result.
How much does internal teeth whitening cost?
Internal and external whitening at Kingfisher Dental costs £375, and this includes the filling needed for discoloured teeth caused by a dead tooth or trauma. You can see this alongside all our other prices on our practice fees page, and we are always happy to talk through the cost before you commit to anything. There are no hidden fees.
Is internal whitening right for me?
Internal whitening is a good fit if you have a single root-filled or non-vital tooth that is darker than its neighbours, and the tooth is otherwise sound. As with any dental treatment, there are small risks, and your dentist will explain these and check that the tooth is suitable before starting.
Where a tooth is heavily restored, weakened or too dark to lighten fully, there are other options. A crown can cover and protect the tooth, and a veneer may suit a front tooth with less structural damage. You can read more about white crowns if you would like to compare.
Internal bleaching results are long-lasting but not permanent. Many people enjoy their results for years, and if the tooth does darken again, it can usually be topped up.
After root canal treatment
Internal whitening is only possible once a tooth has had root canal treatment, so many of our patients arrive with the root canal already in place. If you are still thinking about root canal care, these pages explain how we treat each type of tooth:
If you are weighing up whether to keep a tooth or replace it, our guide to root canal vs dental implants is a helpful place to start.
Book your assessment at Kingfisher Dental Practice
If one tooth is holding your smile back, we would love to help. Call us on 01527 550995 or get in touch online to book an assessment at our practice on Evesham Road, Headless Cross, Redditch. You will meet a friendly, experienced team who will take the time to explain every step.
.avif)
