My dentist hit my tooth hard, and now it’s turning gray
Posted by AllSmiles
My tooth is turning gray because my dentist injured it while removing by lingual braces. She apologized many times and took an x-ray. The said the x-ray was fine. But now my tooth is turning gray. My dentist referred me to an endodontist who did a sensitivity test on my tooth and tooth x-rays. Then the endodontist said that I need root canal treatment because the tooth is dying. He uses something called Gentle Wave.
I did not schedule an appointment for the procedure yet because I am concerned about how the tooth will look afterward. Is root canal the only resolution? Is it possible that I will need a porcelain veneer? Although my dentist is going to pay for everything, it still bothers me that my tooth is damaged to this extent. – Thanks for your help. Christopher from Medina, OH
Christopher,
Thank you for choosing our office for your question.
Do You Need Root Canal Treatment?
You need root canal treatment if a tooth is infected, dying, or dead. Without the procedure, the issue will progress, and you will eventually lose the tooth. Untreated tooth trauma has the following progression:
- Inflammation and swelling
- Lack of room inside a tooth for swelling
- The living tissue becomes diseased, chokes, and dies
Your endodontist took an x-ray, which shows signs of diseased pulp and completed a sensitivity test. You can move forward with root canal treatment.
An Alternative to Traditional Root Canal Treatment
Your endodontist prefers GentleWave®, an alternative to traditional root canal treamtent. GentleWave has several advantages:
- It is less invasive than traditional root canal treatment.
- Multiple acoustic frequencies spin cleaning fluid through a tooth
- The fluid reaches the deep into tooth roots where root canal tools sometimes cannot.
- The procedure is less invasive than traditional root canal treatment and helps you heal faster.
An advanced cosmetic dentist can examine your tooth and determine if internal bleaching or some other treatment can lighten your tooth color. Dental bonding is less invasive than a porcelain veneer, so if you need it, a cosmetic dentist can achieve beautiful results.
Dr. Thomas J. Goebel, a Moline, Illinois cosmetic dentist, sponsors this post.