Tooth segregation

Capt. Brian Blackwell, a 92nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron general dentist, removes decayed root canal material that has discolored the tooth of Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton, a 92nd Air Refueling Wing public affairs photojournalist, in the base dental clinic at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., March 16, 2015. As a general dentist, Blackwell is able to be patient-focused providing high-end dental care to Fairchild’s Airmen. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton)

Clamped in, washed off

A root canaled tooth of Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton, a 92nd Air Refueling Wing public affairs photojournalist, is clamped in place with a protective rubber-like material protecting the patient’s mouth from debris as part of a re-coloration procedure in the base dental clinic at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., March 16, 2015. A root canal, also known as an endodontic treatment, helps patients maintain a natural smile, continue eating normal foods and limits the need for ongoing dental work. With proper care, most root canal treated teeth can last as long as other natural teeth and often for a lifetime. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton)

Magnifying the decay

Capt. Brian Blackwell, a 92nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron general dentist, assisted by Staff Sgt. Adam Lloyd, a 92nd AMDS dental assistant, applies a special bleaching agent to a tooth’s discolored root canal of Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton, a 92nd Air Refueling Wing public affairs photojournalist, in the base dental clinic at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., March 16, 2015. During a root canal treatment, the inflamed pulp is removed and the inside of the tooth is carefully cleaned and disinfected, then filled and sealed with a rubber-like material. Similarly, in Stratton’s case, the previously sealed tooth is unsealed, bleached, and filled back in. Depending on the extent of the discoloring, the process can take several appointments to complete. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton)

Tools of the trade

Capt. Brian Blackwell, a 92nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron general dentist, assisted by Staff Sgt. Adam Lloyd, a 92nd AMDS dental assistant, prepares the bleaching agent for the discolored root canal treated tooth of Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton, a 92nd Air Refueling Wing public affairs photojournalist, in the base dental clinic at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., March 16, 2015. As a dentist assistant, Lloyd assists dentists with everything from simple exams to oral surgery and also serve as dental hygienists, cleaning and polishing teeth and instructing patients on proper brushing and flossing techniques, as well as diet and nutrition. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton)

Need a whiter smile?

Published April 1, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Is that yellow smile impacting your self-esteem at work? Home?

Good news! The 92nd Medical Group dental clinic offers an internal bleaching treatment to adjust discolored teeth in a way that matches the rest of your smile.

"Internal bleaching is a procedure we perform under relatively specific circumstances," said Capt. Brian Blackwell, a 92nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron general dentist. "Teeth that have had a root canal or have been traumatized and subsequently often discolor over time from the inside of the tooth form what is called, intrinsic staining."

This type of staining results from internal factors on the tooth. Extrinsic staining is another type caused by external factors such as smoking, coffee or tea. Extrinsic staining can often be removed or reduced by cleaning the teeth or by whitening the teeth with bleaching agents, while intrinsic staining can affect only one tooth.

"Having one discolored tooth tends to stand out a lot more than all of one's teeth being discolored, so this procedure was developed to help reduce intrinsic staining within a tooth and get a better shade match to the surround teeth," Blackwell said. "This procedure is mainly esthetic in nature but people are often very conscious of their teeth and this can have an effect on self-esteem and social interaction."

Blackwell said procedures like this are fairly simple and can greatly improve a patient's self-esteem.

"I think it's great to be able to provide these procedures for our Airmen," he said.

The Air Force has more than 300,000 Airmen, along with their families, posted around the world, and they all receive top-notch dental care free for the active duty member and relatively inexpensive for the families.

"That freedom makes practicing dentistry much more enjoyable and makes us feel like we are providing our patients with the best overall treatment," relished Blackwell.