What type of teeth is "walking bleach" primarily performed on?

Walking bleach is primarily performed on nonvital teeth, which are teeth that have lost their nerve supply and blood flow, often due to root canal treatment or trauma. These teeth can become discolored due to internal staining from factors like blood breakdown products or other substances that accumulate within the tooth structure.

Walking bleach is a specific whitening technique that involves placing a bleaching agent, typically hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, directly into the pulp chamber of the nonvital tooth. The bleach remains inside for a period, allowing it to effectively penetrate the tooth structure and lighten the discoloration from within. This method is ideal for nonvital teeth because they do not respond to conventional whitening treatments that are designed for vital teeth, which still have active nerve and blood supply.

In contrast, vital teeth can often be whitened externally, while primary teeth usually require more delicate handling due to their developing roots. Adult teeth, while they can be vital or nonvital, do not specifically categorize the type targeted by walking bleach. Therefore, the choice of nonvital teeth is directly linked to the efficacy of this bleaching technique.