Baton Rouge Dentist

Will I Need a Veneer After a Front-Tooth Root Canal?

Posted on by .

I have a front tooth that is turning dark and requires a root canal. Will the tooth be just as dark after the root canal? Will teeth bleaching before and after help? Or will I need a veneer? I’m sure my dental insurance will not cover all of this, but I am concerned about my smile. Thank you. Nicholas from Springfield, MO

Nicholas,

Thank you for your question.

Generally, root canal treatment darkens a tooth.

Why Does Root Canal Treatment Darken a Tooth?

Root canal treatment darkens a tooth if a dentist leaves root canal filling material in the pulp chamber, which is visible above the gumline.

How to Prevent Tooth Darkening After Root Canal Treatment

After treating the tooth, a dentist can prevent discoloration with these steps:

  • Remove root canal filler material from the pulp chamber
  • Bleach the tooth internally by sealing bleaching solution inside
  • Insert a fiberglass post into the root
  • Fill the tooth with composite

Your dentist should complete internal bleaching as soon as possible after the endodontist completes the root canal. Also, they should wait to place the post until the endodontist is confident that the root canal is successful. After removing the filler material, your dentist will wait a few weeks to check your tooth color. If it is stable, the results can last for several years.

What If Your Dentist Cannot Correct Your Tooth Color?

Root canal emergency diagram of five procedure steps
A cosmetic dentist can lighten a tooth after root canal treatment

If your dentist is not familiar with the techniques required to lighten your tooth color after root canal treatment, we recommend scheduling a consultation with an advanced cosmetic dentist. It may be helpful to consult with two cosmetic dentists before root canal treatment to ensure you have found a dentist to treat the tooth as soon as possible after the endodontist confirms that your root canal was successful.

Otherwise, a skilled cosmetic dentist can correct your tooth color with a porcelain veneer. A dental crown is an aggressive treatment that can weaken your tooth and increase the risk of breaking. And unless the tooth is dead, you will not need to replace it with a dental implant. Talk with the dentist about making treatment affordable with payment plans or financing.

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, dentist Dr. Ryan Perry sponsors this post.

My dental crown keeps falling off

Posted on by .

My dentist did a root canal on an upper right tooth about 12 years ago. Two years ago, the crown fell off, and my dentist replaced it. Since that time, the crown fell off three times, and my dentist cemented it back on. But my crown still feels a little loose. Not much tooth is left beneath the crown. Is this recementing something that I need to accept? The next time it falls off, I’m tempted to find a completely different dentist who takes urgent appointments to see if they can do any better than my dentist.

Thanks. Rebeka from Virginia

Rebeka,

When a crown keeps falling off, the problem is usually the design of the crown preparation. If that’s true in your case, you might need a new crown.

When a Root Canal Tooth Is Badly Broken

When a root canal tooth doesn’t have much structure left, a dentist can’t prepare the tooth properly. Some dentists use this method to improve crown retention:

  • Remove some of the root canal filler material
  • Place a flexible fiberglass post about 2/3 the tooth length into the canal and cement it in place
  • Bond core material to the post and tooth
  • Bond the crown to the built-up tooth

A flexible post in a rooth canal tootth to build it up in preparation for a dental crownIt won’t help to see another dentist for an emergency appointment because your situation can’t be corrected that quickly. The resolution takes forethought, time, and skill. The photographs on this page, courtesy of Dentistry Today, are an example of a treatment option that might work for your case.

If a dentist builds up your tooth with a post and composite, the tooth should retain a crown. But you need some remaining tooth structure for this to work. If crown retention only comes from the post, normal function and twisting stress will break the post, and the crown will fall off.

Bonding built up a tooth and postLook for an experienced dentist, schedule a consultation, and ask about treatment options.

 

 

Ryan Perry DDS, a Baton Rouge family dentist, sponsors this post.