How do I fix a really dark front tooth?
Are you noticing that one of your teeth looks darker than the others? Does it seem like it’s getting worse and more noticeable in photos? This is very common. Many front teeth are traumatized, bumped or hit during their lifespan. This can result in “necrosis” of the tissue inside the pulp or chamber inside the tooth. This tissue contains red blood cells, nerves and other material that can the internal chamber of the tooth. Since red blood cells contain iron compounds, these break down and are retained in the now empty internal chamber of the tooth. This dark stain becomes visible externally and results in a dark looking tooth. Take a peak at the photo to the right and you will notice an example of an internally stained tooth.
So what can be done? Luckily there are a number of options ranging from simple teeth whitening to crowns or veneers. If the structure of the tooth is healthy and intact, we lean towards trying the most conservative approach. This often leads us to our gold standard of external teeth whitening using our renown Kor teeth whitening system as well as internal teeth whitening. “Internal teeth whitening” involves actually physically cleaning out the internal chamber, sometimes placing a root canal filling and then delivering whitening gel directly inside the tooth. When we whiten the teeth both internally AND externally we have a very predicable result and effective treatment combination.
If the tooth is also broken down, has large existing fillings or does not respond to teeth whitening - it is possible to cover the tooth with a porcelain restoration in order to make the color match “perfect”. This option involves placing a porcelain veneer or crown over the existing structure of the tooth in order to mask the discolored or broken down tooth structure. This is a great treatment option, as we can make the tooth shape as well as the color perfectly mimic the surrounding dentition. The drawback is that we often have to remove tooth structure or “shave down” the tooth in order to make room for the porcelain material that is placed over the tooth.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to fix your dark tooth - check out our cosmetic dentistry gallery and treatment page. Go ahead and REQUEST A CONSULT. We’d love to meet with you and show you what options are available to you!
~Dr B