|
|
|
By Wacky Camper
I had a tooth that turned almost black. I ignored it for a while but since it showed when I smiled I couldn't ignore it anymore. It was a bad nerve and I needed some root canal work. Later my Dentist did some bonding to it or something to make it white and it looks a lot better. We have excellent dental insurance through my husband's work, thank goodness!
There is a bleaching procedure to be done by the dentist, only on a root-canal treated tooth. It is painless and it really remedies the dark stain without invading the whole rest of the tooth for veneers or crowns. The dentist puts a strong oxidizing material inside the tooth and then seals it up with filling, you walk around a week or two and it gradually lightens, repeat two or three times until it's a bit too light, then the oxidizer is removed and the permanent filling is done. The color rebounds just a bit until it's about right. I've seen people really pleased with these. Not good for a very dark one, but yours doesn't sound like it's almost black. God bless you and I hope your dentist can help make it possible for you to stretch out payments on it. Capital One has a dental credit plan that is a good deal, unlike their credit cards, your dentist probably knows about it.
Dental work is the only way, sorry. I too have a front tooth that was injured during a car accident. I can't afford the overlays. I asked my dentist about bleaching, but he says the overlays are the only way to go, so I grin and bear it - ha!
The discoloration is from the inside, not the outside, so I don't think that bleach or baking soda or anything else will work.
Sounds like the nerve is dead. If it is the only way is a crown to my knowledge. Yes they are expensive but how much do you want a pretty smile?