When I had a badly decayed tooth extracted, I got a partial denture to fill in the gap. I didn't mind it at first, because I was just so happy to have my painful tooth out of my mouth. Over time, I began to get tired of taking it out at night. I asked my dentist if I was could get a dental implant, and he said that my gum disease did not make me a good candidate, but a fixed bridge may be a good option for me. I went with his suggestion, and I have no regrets. I love feeling like I have a real tooth again that I don't have to remove at night. I created this blog to remind other people with a missing tooth that they have many replacement options, and if one is not for you, then try another that may be right.
The goal of a root canal is to return the affected tooth to its former, healthy state—with some modifications. In order to preserve the tooth, its infected nerve (also called the pulp) must be removed in order to prevent further deterioration. So that the tooth isn't irreparably weakened by the removal of one of its parts, the empty pulp chamber is filled with a biocompatible type of latex called gutta percha. Although the tooth has been modified, it has been restored. So why has your restored tooth started to change color?
The Tooth Is Still Healthy
It's far from certain that a tooth will change color after a root canal, but for a small number of patients, this can be an issue of varying seriousness. For starters, it's important to know that the changing color of the tooth doesn't reflect its health in any way. The tooth is not dying, nor has your treatment failed. The changing color is simply a curious, and slightly unfortunate side effect of your root canal procedure.
A Number of Causes
There are several possible causes for a tooth to change color after a root canal. The gutta percha that was essential for filling the tooth's empty pulp chamber may have discolored the tooth from the inside out—meaning it's visible from the exterior of the tooth. Alternatively, when the tooth's pulp was infected (which was the reason for your root canal), it became swollen and left residues on the inside wall of the pulp chamber, which stained the tooth's internal structure. Sometimes it's not clearly understood why a tooth can be successfully treated with a root canal and yet still change its color.
Solution Already Arranged
Depending on when you notice the change in color, the solution to your problem may already have been arranged. After a dentist makes an access cavity in a tooth to perform the root canal, the cavity must be sealed with a provisional filling—not quite as strong as a permanent filling, in case your dentist needs to make any adjustments. But some teeth need to be finished with both a permanent filling and a dental crown.
Crowning the Tooth
A dental crown (a tooth-colored porcelain crown) slotted over the tooth reinforces it and is essential when the root canal procedure necessitated the removal of a significant amount of the tooth's structure. Once bonded onto the tooth, the crown will hide the discoloration, and the problem is solved. Even when a crown wasn't necessary for structural reinforcement, a dentist can add one for strictly cosmetic purposes, again hiding the discoloration.
A change to a tooth's color after a root canal is bothersome, but not an issue from a clinical point of view. If needed, your dentist can easily cover the tooth in question under a pristine dental crown. For more information on a root canal, contact a dentist near you.
Share14 October 2022
