Intracoronal Bleaching
Will my Tooth Discolor After Root Canal Treatment?
With all the new technology and the evolution of finer dental materials, your tooth should NOT discolor after endodontic treatment. Nevertheless, especially with OLD root canal techniques, materials, and cements, a tooth may appear discolored. For more information on this subject, read below.
The single dark tooth dilemma. Why is my tooth dark?
A single dark tooth possibly indicates that the tooth might need a root canal because it has a dead nerve giving the tooth a darker gray/brownish hue. Discoloration might also be present in a tooth that had had a root canal treatment done many years ago, using older techniques, material and cements. The patient should see an endodontist for a consultation to determine if the tooth can undergo a procedure called “non-vital bleaching” to restore the color to a more natural color. This procedure requires the endodontist to re-enter the old root canal to activate strong chemicals "inside" the tooth to whiten it. This is an "in-office" visit, not to be confused with over the counter dental bleaching, which is whitening from the "outside." Tooth discoloration can also be a sign of nerve damage or death, in which case, doing a root canal and non-vital bleaching is all that may be needed to restore the tooth.
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