Why Has Your Tooth Changed Colour After a Root Filling?

While root canal work usually fixes any problems you've had with a tooth without any side effects, you may sometimes develop other issues with the tooth. For example, you may notice that the tooth starts to change colour after a while.

Why does this happen and what can you do about it?

Colour Changes in Root-Filled Teeth

Over time, teeth that have had root canal work may change colour. They may lose their natural whiteness and turn grey, yellow or even brown. This colour change has a few possible causes. For example, if you needed to have the tooth root-filled because of an injury or accident to the tooth, then pigment in the tooth may change colour after the incident.

Discoloration also sometimes happens if any pulp is left inside the tooth after treatment. It's not always easy to access all of this pulp. If any is left behind, then it may die away and ultimately change the tooth's colour. Sometimes, the root filling itself can lead to a colour change.

Fixes For Colour Changes After a Root Canal

If the discoloured tooth is at the back of your mouth, then you probably won't be that bothered that it has changed colour. However, if the tooth is in a more visible position, then you may want to fix it to make it look whiter. Discoloured front teeth can stand out a lot; you may think the tooth looks too ugly to leave it alone.

Depending on the reason behind the colour change and the new colour of the tooth, there are various dental treatments that can fix this kind of discolouration. For example, some people have a veneer fitted to the tooth to cover it up. The veneer will match the colour of the rest of your teeth, so your smile will be restored.

However, if the tooth is badly stained, then a veneer may not work that well. Veneers are thin covers. They may not be thick enough to hide darker discolouration on the brown end of the scale.

Alternatively, you could have your tooth bleached internally. This process works like regular teeth whitening treatments; however, your dentist puts a bleaching agent into the tooth to change its colour. Fitting a crown on to the tooth is also a common solution.

If your tooth is changing colour, then ask your dentist for advice. They can talk you through whitening options and help you find the best dental treatment to get the tooth back to its old colour again.