Have you noticed that a tooth has become darker after a root canal treatment? A tooth turning grey, brown or yellow in color is quite noticeable. Even though a discolored tooth does not necessarily mean endodontic treatment has failed, many patients are worried about this change in their tooth.
A change in tooth color after a root canal treatment can occur for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it is necessary to know whether the discoloration is caused by internal staining or by other reasons such as previous injury, infection or change in tooth structure.
Let’s explore the common causes of tooth discoloration after root canal treatment and how it can be treated.
Why Does a Root Canal Tooth Turn Dark?
After root canal treatment, the tooth no longer contains living pulp tissue. However, some changes can occur in time.
Staining of a tooth after root canal treatment is most commonly due to:
1. Internal Staining
Blood and tissue products can leak through the dentinal tubules into the inner parts of the tooth. Here these substances can cause grey, brown discoloration which in many cases persists even after a successful root canal treatment.
2. Previous Dental Trauma
Some endodontically treated teeth may darken as a result of dental trauma which occurred prior to the endodontic treatment. Such trauma to a tooth may cause bleeding of the pulp, which may be cleaned out during endodontic treatment. Blood and tissue breakdown following dental trauma can contribute to discoloration.
3. Root Canal Materials
Root canal materials left in tooth structures visible in the oral cavity can also cause tooth discoloration. This can be removed with proper cleaning and restored with aesthetic materials.
4. Changes in Tooth Structure
The extent of decay or trauma prior to treatment of the tooth can result in a significantly reduced tooth mass. The changes in the remaining tooth or in its restoration can cause color changes.
The many causes for a discolored tooth explain why a discolored tooth must be investigated by a RCT Specialist in Patna instead of immediately attributing its color to a failed root canal treatment.
What Should You Do If Your Root Canal Tooth Turns Dark?
Do not try to whiten a tooth that has darkened after root canal treatment with regular whitening products. This may not work on internal tooth discoloration and it is not suitable for teeth that have had root canal treatment.
If you need Root Canal Treatment in Patna then we would recommend a thorough professional evaluation even if all you need is whitening of a tooth that has gone dark after RCT.
Dr. Aishwarya, B.D.S, M.D.S (Gold Medalist) examines the tooth turned dark post root canal treatment and guides the patient whether the said color change is normal or it indicates some internal problem.
For internally discolored teeth after RCT, assessment would include a clinical examination and possibly dental X-ray to rule out any disease. If the tooth is found to be healthy then we can discuss the option of internal tooth whitening to improve color.
If there is evidence of current or previous infection or your previous root canal treatment needs to be reviewed or updated before whitening then we will discuss the additional treatment needed.
Don’t wait to see if the tooth darkens further, contact the best dental clinic in Patna for an evaluation and treatment recommendations instead. The dentist can determine if a change in color of a tooth indicates a cosmetic change or a problem that affects oral health.
Conclusion
Discoloration of a root canal tooth can be due to internal staining, previous trauma to the tooth, changes in the shape of tooth structures or from materials left in the tooth from previous treatments. This does not mean the root canal tooth treatment failed.
If you have a Root Canal Tooth Turning Dark, then we at Dr. Aishwarya, B.D.S, M.D.S (Gold Medalist) dental clinic can help you determine the cause of the dark tooth and then treat the tooth to restore both health and beauty of the tooth.