Can a tooth deteriorate under a crown: myths and reality

Common reasons

Darkening of teeth can look different:

• If the discoloration is caused by plaque that is not properly removed, the color of the dentition appears uneven, darker at the base and lighter towards the edges; Possible causes are abuse of coffee and tea (strongly brewed drinks have a powerful coloring effect) and smoking. It is very difficult for tea, coffee and nicotine lovers to maintain a snow-white smile; they practically have to choose between beautiful teeth and established habits.
• If one or more teeth have a pronounced color difference, we have to talk about poor-quality canal treatment or the development of secondary caries (after removal of the nerve, the darkening of the tooth is explained by the lack of nutrition and is natural; a dark rim around the filling is a signal for its immediate replacement due to a violation of the tightness ). A tooth can also be darkened by trauma that causes nerve death or internal bleeding; whiteness can only be restored through careful treatment of the canals, sometimes with intracanal bleaching.

Black plaque is not only a death sentence for a smile, but also a possible cause of caries. Only regular visits to the dentist will help you avoid troubles and keep your teeth healthy and white.

Content

• Causes of tooth decay
• Signs
• Dental diagnostics
• Methods of dental treatment

Pathological changes in teeth restored with crowns are an extremely unpleasant situation and, moreover, dangerous for the health of the entire body. With the correct use of a well-made and installed crown, the likelihood of such problems occurring is minimized. However, cases of tooth decay under crowns still occur. It is important to recognize the problem in time and seek help from a doctor.

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Why do children's teeth turn black?

While many explanations can be found for the darkening of tooth enamel in adults, black teeth in a child cause bewilderment and confusion among parents. In fact, a child’s teeth can darken even with careful hygiene and in the absence of chronic diseases.

There are several reasons for the problem, the main one is improper nutrition with the amount of sweets in the diet: microbes, like people, love sweets, the effect of sweet food on tooth enamel is negative, associated with the appearance of a dense microbial biofilm. Other common reasons:

• genetic predisposition
• calcium deficiency
• dysbacteriosis
• early caries

If you notice dark gingival stripes on your child’s teeth, do not ignore them: the appearance of the so-called Priestley’s plaque is one of the consequences of the development of the digestive system, which resolves itself with age, but it is better to clarify the diagnosis with a dentist. Dark spots and dots on the baby’s teeth should also cause concern: contrary to the popular belief that baby teeth should not be treated, in the absence of adequate treatment, permanent ones that grow to replace them are often damaged.

Black teeth in a child are an alarming signal that requires an immediate preventive examination by a dentist, since all pathologies develop rapidly in childhood.

What is the prevention of plaque formation?

The first step is to completely abandon the harmful habit of smoking and frequent consumption of drinks that form black plaque on the teeth. It is imperative to diversify your diet with solid foods and fiber-rich vegetables, fruits, and cereals. Chewing such food thoroughly helps to naturally cleanse tooth enamel. Timely and properly organized hygienic care of the oral cavity is the basis for preventing the occurrence of plaque on teeth. In addition, do not forget to visit the dentist regularly, even if nothing bothers you.

So, as soon as a specialist can assess the state of plaque and notice problems with teeth in the initial and curable stage. Dental treatment and care requires regularity, strict adherence to specialist recommendations and a professional approach.

Black teeth: treatment methods

What can you do at home?

It is well known that you can make your teeth lighter by quitting smoking and limiting your consumption of coloring drinks such as strong coffee and tea.

Another obvious requirement is regular brushing of teeth with the addition of additional dental hygiene products (dental floss, rinses, etc.)

On the Internet you can find many recommendations for changing the shade of tooth enamel using folk remedies, but you should not rely on such solutions, since only professional hygiene and whitening give real results. Don't self-medicate!

If you decide to see a dentist

At the first appointment, provide the specialist with as much information as possible about your health, lifestyle and bad habits - this will help the dentist quickly and accurately stop the cause of the pathology.

If the darkening is due to tooth decay, recent nerve removal, or other dental problems, treatment will be required. Today, dentistry fights for every tooth, offering solutions even in situations that seem hopeless, including restoring teeth with crowns or veneers.

The method of treatment is selected individually based on the general condition of the oral cavity.

Methods for solving the problem

The method of tooth restoration is chosen taking into account:

• causes of darkening of enamel and dentin,
• the patient has chronic diseases.

The following techniques are used in modern dentistry.

• Removing plaque and tartar. Professional oral hygiene can make the enamel 1-2 shades lighter and restore its smoothness.
• Endobleaching. It is carried out when there is discoloration of one or more pulpless teeth, as well as poorly performed prosthetics. The brightening gel is injected directly into the tooth canals.
• Restoration of the crown part of the tooth with composites and other materials. The doctor removes damaged tissue, treats the cavity, and restores the crown.
• Microprosthetics. Indicated in difficult cases when it is impossible to restore a darkened and damaged crown using other methods. It involves installing a crown made of metal-ceramics and other materials.

In rare cases, tooth extraction is recommended. It is shown if:

• the roots are damaged, there is a large crack on the crown,
• there is severe loosening of the tooth, inflammation of the gums,
• the inflammatory process affects not only soft tissues, but also the jaw bone.

After tooth extraction, a crown or implant can be installed.

Methods for treating black teeth

• If black streaks or stains appear on the teeth due to improper care, professional hygiene is prescribed. In our clinic you can sign up for a “denticure”, your teeth will be free of plaque, and your smile will be attractive again
• If your teeth are blackened due to food dyes, then professional or home whitening, using special toothpastes and eliminating coloring foods from your daily menu will help.
• If your teeth have turned black due to caries, then sanitation with further restoration of the tooth and preventive procedures to strengthen your teeth are necessary. No dentist will remove black teeth without understanding the cause.

Provide thorough and competent oral care - and you will never know what black plaque is. See a dental hygienist to learn how to properly brush your teeth and choose a toothbrush and toothpaste.

Causes of darkening of teeth

The condition of teeth is a reflection of nutrition, care, bad habits and other factors. If your teeth begin to darken, you need to consider a variety of reasons that could cause a change in the shade of the enamel. All the reasons why tooth enamel is darker are divided into external and internal.

External reasons

External causes mean processes occurring due to external influences on the teeth.

1. Poor hygiene. Due to insufficient quality dental care, plaque remains on the enamel. Gradually, the deposits begin to compact and become more dense. If the plaque is exposed to dye, its pigment penetrates deep into the dense structure.
2. Dyes. Tooth enamel weakened due to demineralization or bleaching becomes unstable to artificial and natural dyes. Changes in the color of teeth can occur with frequent consumption of foods with dyes (coffee, bright berries, vegetables and fruits, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, sweets, spices, etc.).
3. Smoking. Black teeth are a common problem among smokers. The resins released when smoking a cigarette into the oral cavity are abundantly deposited on the enamel and adhere tightly to it.

Black plaque on teeth cannot be removed with a toothbrush or even whitening toothpaste. An aesthetic defect can only be eliminated using professional dental methods.

Internal reasons

External factors provoke mainly an aesthetic defect, but can cause an increased risk of dental diseases. Internal causes should be taken as seriously as possible, since they involve the impact of pathological processes on the teeth, which will only progress without appropriate treatment.

Internal factors that cause teeth to darken.

1. Caries. The most common cause of darkening of tooth enamel. A distinctive feature is the change in color of one tooth. In rare cases, several adjacent teeth darken. Tooth decay can appear as a spot or cavity. If the cervical form of caries occurs, then the roots of the teeth darken, or more correctly, the root zone.
2. Seal. Black teeth may be the result of fillings. Some types of composite contain substances that stain the dentin and crown. Modern dentistry does not use such materials, but if the tooth was filled more than 7-10 years ago, similar reasons cannot be ruled out.
3. Metal insert. Metal is prone to oxidation, which can easily cause tooth enamel to darken.
4. Metal crowns. The installation of classic metal crowns has such a defect as darkening of the tooth in the area of ​​the marginal gum line. The appearance of blackness indicates an oxidation process, which causes the metal to be exposed to the acidic environment of the oral cavity.
5. Injuries. The tooth is equipped with a large number of blood vessels, if damaged, blood can penetrate into the dentin. Due to the accumulation of blood under the crown, the process of breakdown of blood particles will affect the color of the tooth, which will change from red to blue-black.
6. Depulpation. Removing the dental nerve entails many consequences. Including darkening of the enamel. The reason is a lack of nutrition to the tooth or the development of recurrent caries.

With the progression of internal causes, treatment is a mandatory step in restoring dental health and aesthetics. Depending on the pathology, the specialist determines ways to influence the pathological process.

Signs of tooth decay under the crown

The first thing the owner of a crown notices is bad breath. Brushing, rinsing, and flossing do not help eliminate it, or give short-term results. Manifestations other than odor:

• Mobility of the crown or tooth.
• Darkening of the visible part.
• Recession of the gums, exposure of the cervical area.
• Unpleasant, purulent taste in the mouth.
• Discharge of pus.
• Redness of the gums.

Plaque on a child’s teeth: treatment

Removing bacterial and chromogenic plaque in a child will be no different from a similar procedure recommended for an adult: ultrasonic cleaning and AirFlow are used in the same way.

However, chromogenic staining of teeth may return over time. The only possible solution to the problem is regular professional cleaning by a dentist. To make visits to the dentist as rare as possible, your child should be taught to use an electric toothbrush, the pulsating circular movements of the head of which perfectly break up plaque.

Accelerated formation of deposits is promoted by blood in the oral cavity, so the child’s gingivitis must be treated. The use of chlorhexidine and antiseptics based on it should be abandoned.