Female Focus
Page 13
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Why does a tooth become grey and what to do?
Sometimes we’re happy with our smile apart from that one grey tooth that our eyes always go to as we look in the mirror.
A tooth can become grey for a variety of reasons:-
An old root canal - The most common cause is a tooth which has had a root canal in the past and is now dead. The fact that it has no blood supply makes it lose its healthy colour. The ideal treatment in this case is to check with a small x-ray that the root treatment is done to the end of the root (i.e that no infection is left in the tooth as this will cause pain in the future). Depending on the state of the old filling, a post and a white core filling will replace the old one to keep the tooth strong since a tooth with no nerve is very brittle. A white porcelain crown will then cover the tooth protecting the filling and matching the rest of your white smile.
Before treatment
Grey amalgam filling - In simpler cases, the grey tooth may just be due to an old grey, NHS, amalgam filling. If the filling is small, a simple replacement with a strong new generation white filling will restore the tooth to its original white colour. However if the filling is very large and cracks are visible on the enamel of the tooth, it would be advisable to crown the tooth with an all porcelain material to prevent future problems due to fractures.
After treatment After treatment
Trauma - Another common cause that usually tends to occur in children and younger people, is trauma. When a tooth (usually a front tooth) is banged due to a fall or during contact sports, nerves and blood vessels will have been crushed and over a period of weeks the tooth may lose its blood and nerve supply and slowly die. As it dies, the tooth will become darker and an infection will set in at the tip of the root.
The infection will need to be treated by root canal and the sessions involved will depend on whether the root of the tooth is fully formed. In the case of younger children and an adult tooth, if the tooth is not fractured it can be whitened from the inside to obtain its original shade. Your dentist will monitor the tooth and advise if in future a veneer or a porcelain crown may be more appropriate. As soon as a baby tooth becomes grey, it must be extracted as the infection around the dead tooth could damage the adult tooth waiting to come through.
Whatever the cause of the grey tooth, don’t let it stop you from smiling and visit your cosmetic dentist who will find the best solution for you. Call Zen Smile Spa on 96 579 3810 to book an appointment with our cosmetic dentist Dr. Carolyn Carbasse.
Before treatment
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