I got two crowns in 2020, one on which was a root canal tooth. The crowns are on my front left tooth and the one behind it. During my dental cleaning and exam two months ago, my dentist noticed that the root canal tooth looked darker than the other. I had noticed it, too. My dentist took an X-ray and said there was a cavity in the tooth. She recommended removing the crowns and replacing them with veneers to match my surrounding teeth. Her recommendation seemed reasonable.
When the veneers arrived from the lab, my dentist said I could keep wearing the temporaries while she sent the veneers back for color correction. The new veneers look slightly better, but the tooth shape is off. Also, you can still see that the root canal tooth is darker than my other teeth. This time, my dentist wasn’t so eager to send the veneers back but tried to get me to say that I liked the improvement. I’m unsure of how long this process will continue, but is asking for a color match unreasonable since the root canal tooth is darker than the others? Joan from Tulsa, OK
Joan,
Expecting porcelain veneers or crowns to match your surrounding teeth is not asking too much. However, only a dentist with advanced cosmetic dentistry and esthetics training can achieve a perfect match.
Do You Have Dental Crowns or Veneers?
You have dental crowns if your dentist shaved all sides of your teeth to prepare them for restorations. Although you mentioned getting new veneers, you have dental crowns. A dental crown covers the entire tooth, while a porcelain veneer only covers the front. Unfortunately, we occasionally hear reports of patients who think they are getting veneers when receiving dental crowns instead.
Can You Hide a Dark Root Canal Tooth with a Crown?
A skilled cosmetic dentist can hide a dark root canal tooth with a dental crown and perfectly blend the crown with your natural teeth.
A cosmetic dentist might use either approach:
- Bleach the dark tooth. Create an approximate match to your surrounding teeth using an opaque buildup material.
- Take pictures of your teeth and send instructions to a dental ceramist to cover the crown with an opaque porcelain layer followed by a translucent layer.
A skilled cosmetic dentist partners with an artistic dental ceramist to produce natural-looking results.
Ask for a Refund
We suggest consulting a cosmetic dentist for a second opinion. Look for dentists with post-graduate training in cosmetic dentistry and esthetics. During your consultation, ask to see before and after pictures of the dentist’s patients with cases like yours.
After the consultation, you can respectfully talk to your current dentist about your disappointment with the results and request a refund.
Sugar Land, Texas, dentist Dr. Siny Thomas of Cornerstone Dentistry sponsors this post. Read about Dr. Thomas’s commitment to giving his patients the best dental care he can.
