A root canal treatment is a good way of saving a tooth with an infected pulp. Unfortunately, several things associated with the procedure may discolor your tooth. Here are three reasons a root canal may stain your tooth:
Pulp Tissue Remnants
A major part of a root canal treatment involves removing dead or infected pulp tissues. Sometimes, however, some pieces of tissues are left inside the tooth. This can happen, for example, with pulp tissues not at the center of the tooth. Pulp horns, pulp tissues extending towards the cusp of the tooth, are good examples of tissues that may remain after a root canal. These tissues discolor your tooth when they decompose.
Dental Fillings
Discoloration may also occur due to the dental restorations used after the endodontic treatment. For example, the amalgam (an alloy of silver plus other metals) used in filling the tooth can cause a gray, blue or even black stain. Discoloration may also occur if traces of the filling materials are left on the crown part of your tooth. Even resin fillings, which may not have the exact shade of your tooth, may show through your tooth structure (that is translucent).
Medications
Your root canal treatment may fail if some infected tissues remain inside the tooth. The same thing may happen if the pulp remnants become re-infected. If that happens, then you may need another treatment to get rid of the infection. Your dentist may mix some medicine with the temporary filling materials to reduce the risk of re-infection. Unfortunately, some of these medications may stain your teeth.
How to Regain Your White Teeth
Staining that appears after a root canal treatment is often internal. You cannot get rid of internal discoloration by bleaching your tooth using conventional whitening products, which only work for surface stains.
The solution depends on the cause of the discoloration. For example, if it is due to a dental filling, then replacing the filling material may restore your white smile. As for discoloration caused by remnants of tissues or medications, internal bleaching may help. This form of cosmetic treatment bleaches the tooth from the inside out. The process is more involved than surface bleaching, and it may only make sense if you are really bothered by your stains.
Talk to your dentist before engaging in any whitening project after a root canal treatment. Resorting to at-home bleaching may not help you much if the staining is