Internal Bleaching of Root Canal Treated Teeth
Occasionally, a tooth in which the pulp has undergone necrosis (death of the tissue within the tooth) or a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy darkens in color over time. This discoloration is most often caused by pigmented breakdown products of pulpal necrosis penetrating the hard tissue of the tooth. Internal bleaching is a treatment that has been developed to remove this discoloration and lighten the shade of the darkened tooth. The treatment involves accessing and cleaning the pulp chamber in the crown of the tooth. Often, a bleaching agent is sealed in the pulp chamber for several days. After the bleaching agent is removed, a permanent filling is placed in the bleached tooth.
