What are my treatment options for a discoloured tooth after root canal treatment if internal bleaching results do not last for long?

Doctor's Answers 1

Correcting tooth discolouration is more predictable with a crown.

If the tooth is severely discoloured, more porcelain needs to be layered on top of it to mask it. Generally, this means that ultra-thin veneers are out because there would not be enough material thickness.

It can be very challenging to mask a discoloured tooth and match it to to adjacent natural teeth, so expect a few try-ins or even remakes of the final crown to get the best results.

If the entire root is also discoloured, this may show through the gumline at the end and may not be masked by the crown. This may appear as a grey or dark gum. If the crown is opaque, the lack of light transmission at the gumline (especially if the patient has a low lip line when smiling) may make the gum discolouration significant. A gum graft to increase the amount of soft tissue coverage may be needed to mask the dark root.

Similar Questions

How long does root canal treatment at a dental clinic usually last? (photo)

It depends on what you mean by "last". If you mean how likely it is that the root canal treatment will have a successful long term outcome, then there are studies showing that root canal treatment in teeth with areas of bone loss around the root tips are about 70-80% successful over the long term. This is because teeth with this sort of radiographic appearance tend to have a much higher load of bacteria in the root canal spaces.

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Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

What are the benefits of laser root canal treatment over other procedures?

Lasers can be used to improve disinfection of the root canal space. The internal anatomy of the root canal system is very complex and web-like. This means that conventional rinsing with strong disinfectants (the best is bleach) are unable to fully penetrate and clean out these tortuous spaces. The laser energy causes heating and bubbling of the disinfectant, pushing it into these spaces. This allows for better cleaning and is thought to improve root canal treatment success.

Photo of Dr Jaclyn Toh

Answered By

Dr Jaclyn Toh

Dentist

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