How long does it take for a dead tooth to turn dark?

[nanaliew]

My lateral incisor had a large filling many years ago, I think back in 2007, and it got infected then. Dentist prescribed antibiotics, and offered to do a root canal, but we couldn't afford it. A year later, at a free government checkup, my tooth was deemed non vital as it couldn't feel cold or electricity. An xray was taken but the dentist just said it was fine and only to do something if it hurts. (to add, the free clinic had no equipment for a root canal anyways!)

The tooth has turned slightly dark over the years with a small chip at the side. It is not noticeably dark, but when brushing my teeth I can see underneath the white toothpaste that the color is slightly darker than the other teeth.

I am aware that I need to do a root canal on the tooth, but I am worried if I need a crown. based on what I have read, most root canalled tooth need crowns. I was wondering

a) can I do a root canal first and do a crown when I can afford it? or will that put a risk on my tooth to break before I get a crown and I should only do both at one go when i can afford it?

b) can i choose not to crown it and perhaps only veneer it or leave it as the original tooth?

c) if i were to wait a few more months and save up for a root canal+crown, will it still turn darker? or has it reached a plateau of how dark it can get over the past 6 years?

One thing I would like to add is this tooth is probably never used in biting, as it is "behind" my other teeth and whenever I bite on food this tooth can't really seem to clamp down on the food (probably due to my faulty bite).

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Hi,
Without knowing or examining you, it's very difficult to answer well, but I will do my best :

a) can I do a root canal first and do a crown when I can afford it? or will that put a risk on my tooth to break before I get a crown and I should only do both at one go when i can afford it?

Certainly you can have the crown later. The extent of the danger of breaking the tooth depends on how many forces come to the tooth while chewing. For example: if you don't have many molars and teeth in the back of the mouth, more force will go to the front and then a crown is really needed.
If you managed not to break the tooth over the last years, it is a good sign.
By the way, after the RCT the shade of the tooth might stay dark (or even become a bit darker). It can be fixed with internal bleaching or a crown/veneer.

b) can i choose not to crown it and perhaps only veneer it or leave it as the original tooth?

It depends on how much healthy enamel is left after the RCT because the veneer should lie down on enamel. Only the dentist that treats you can answer that.

c) if i were to wait a few more months and save up for a root canal+crown, will it still turn darker? or has it reached a plateau of how dark it can get over the past 6 years?

It will probably not turn any darker. I suggest for you not to wait with the treatment too long (in the scale of years). Time is not a good factor. Maybe you can arrange with the dentist payments or a discount.

 

[nanaliew]

Thanks so much doc! I am just very worried about the possibility of my tooth breaking in between the RCT and crowning as I would have spent all that money for nothing.

Btw, my friend told me that her dentist mentioned to her before that a resin crown is usually much cheaper than normal crowns. I can't seem to find much info about resin crowns online. Are they worth it for a fix for a few years till I get a proper porcelain crown? How are they made and are they commonly found?

 

[Dr. Daniel]

Resin crowns are cheaper than porcelain crowns and considered to be strong. Resin is actually is in the family of materials for white fillings. you can search more information using the keywords "composite crown".
If the dentist builds up the tooth and hardens the resin himself (using blue light) , it is considered to be a big filling. If we want this resin to be stronger, than it needs to be hardened in a dental labroraty (using hit and light). That's a crown. The dentist needs to make the tooth smaller, make an impression and create a temporary crown.

Most dentists don't do resin crowns but porcelain ones.