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What does it mean when a corner of a tooth with a temporary filling in goes dark?

Pianimo

Pianimo

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Joined
Jan 15, 2011
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What does it mean when a corner of a tooth with a temporary filling in goes dark?

Hi.

Question's the title really... As further details:

I have one tooth - LL5 - which has had a temporary filling in since the end of February. It was originally due for RCT, but my dentist said that once she'd cleaned out all the nerve etc there was very little tooth left, so she thought an extraction would be a better idea, but has left me a few months to decide. The tooth was still vital going into that appointment - had reacted very strongly to the 'cold' test.

After my appointment, the tooth hurt badly for a few days, was sensitive for a couple of weeks, then just felt normal. In the last few weeks I've been feeling the odd twinge - i.e. only for a few seconds, but sometimes on and off for a while - mainly after using my tepe brush or after eating something sugary! Out of the blue, last night, I noticed one corner had gone dark - kind of like a pale, translucent black, if that makes sense? I'd checked the tooth the night before, and it was fine, so this has happened at some point yesterday. I've felt no pain, and the dark bit doesn't feel different or hurt to touch. There's been no change today - just the same bit still dark.

That's the main enough info, but jic any of this is connected - the filling itself has a line across the top, I'm not sure if it's a crack or it was there all along! (It has definitely been there a while, before this happened.) The filling did feel funny when eating something chewy yesterday, but I think the it's still all there, and it doesn't seem loose or crumbling at all. It does hang over one side of my tooth - between it and the tooth behind - and it at this end of the tooth that the dark bit is (the oustide, top, back corner). The gap under the 'overhang' has looked very dark/black from the beginning, and I kept thinking there was something like dried blood in there - but the tepe comes out clean, and my hygienest said it was ok, so I figured it must just be a shadow?

Anyway, I'm really worried about what's happening, and would be grateful for any help. I know it's hard to get an idea without seeing it, but I just can't handle photos of my mouth. :sick: Sorry! I have a review appointment scheduled with my dentist next week, which normally would make this a 'good time' to have a problem! But I was planning to cancel it as I have a really important deadline coming up, and I'm very behind, and seriously need every second I can get! So I'm really stressed out now in case I'm going to need this tooth treating urgently, but I just don't have time for even the review appointment...let alone a treamtent one too...let alone 24 hours off following sedation, as I know I'd need... :(

I hope that all makes sense. Sorry by the way - I think only I could write this long a post for this short a question! Probably just the title would've done really! :redface:



But my questions are basically:
  • What could this be? Is the tooth dying?? :cry:
  • How urgent is it? (Is it sensible/possible to ignore it for a few weeks?)
  • Is there anything I can/should do to stop any more of the tooth going dark too? Should I eat/brush as normal?
Thank you for your help!
 
Re: What does it mean when a corner of a tooth with a temporary filling in goes dark?

Hope a dentist finds this soon...I'm so worried! :(

A quick update - there no change to the colour situation - that same corner is still dark, and the rest of the tooth unchanged. And still no pain. What I have noticed is that I can now feel a sharp edge inside my tooth, and it looks like it's because there's a place where the filling is now lower than the edge of the 'hole'. I haven't noticed any of the filling come out, it's more as if the filling has sunk lower into my tooth, but I don't know. Where it has happened is next to, but not in the same place as, the dark bit of tooth - i.e. it's on the same 'edge' (oh dear, I'm so rubbish at describing these things!).

Just wish I knew what to do.
 
Re: What does it mean when a corner of a tooth with a temporary filling in goes dark?

Hi Pianimo, sound to me like our dentist has carried out the 1st stage of root canal treatment as a temporary measure ('but my dentist said that once she'd cleaned out all the nerve etc'). When this happens the tooth has no blood supply. With no blood supply a tooth can start to go grey. If its not causing any pain/problems then its not super urgent and can probably wait a few weeks. Eat brush as normal. If the 1st stage of root canal has been carried out then the tooth could continue to darken (or it might not).

Hope that helps
 
Re: What does it mean when a corner of a tooth with a temporary filling in goes dark?

Thank you very much for replying David - that's really helpful! I think you're probably right, as what you've suggested seems to fit what my dentist said, and what's happened.

I think I panicked because it happened so suddenly, after being fine for 3 months, plus the bad timing - not to mention just looking scary! So I feared the worst...as phobics tend to do! :rolleyes:

Also, I'd never actually understood quite what she had/hadn't done in the appointment - probably a combination of my complete dental ignorance (I didn't even know how a normal filling worked until I started having work done!) and my poor dentist having the unfortunate job of trying figure out how to explain it to someone who feels sick at pictures or descriptions of mouths and teeth! But after what you've said it now makes sense, and you've helped to put my mind at rest. Thank you! :)

Hope you don't mind, just one more question: does this mean I'll definitely need an extraction (not a root filling)? I was going to get a second opinion before I made my mind up, although I definitely trust that my dentist's advice was genuine. But I guess this may mean my mind's been made up for me?!
 
Re: What does it mean when a corner of a tooth with a temporary filling in goes dark?

HI Pianimo, glad I could help.
I cant say you will definitely need/not need an extraction. A dentist would need to see you to know that information.
If you trust you current dentist then that is good. A 2nd opinion before is the tooth is extracted is not a bad option either though!
 
Re: What does it mean when a corner of a tooth with a temporary filling in goes dark?

Hi again David,

Thanks for a quick reply!

If the darkness doesn't automatically mean the tooth needs extracting, then that's cheered me up even further. That bascially leaves me in the same boat as before - extraction may be necessary, maybe not - just with a grey cornered-tooth!

I actually really, really like my dentist, but I can't afford to stay her practice. :( (I was referred there without knowing how expensive it was!) So my plan was to say goodbye (and a very big thanks!) to her at the review appointment - which I'm now going to postpone until after my deadline - then try to find a new dentist I can trust before this tooth reaches crisis point....well, hopefully! It does help, though, to know that if anything does go wrong in the meantime, I have a dentist I can trust to tell me what needs doing, and to do it (whether I can afford it or not! :rolleyes: lol).

Anyway, thanks again for your help. I just mentioned to someone about your answer, and he was amazed that there could be real dentists who give up their time to post on a forum like this - in fact, he wouldn't believe it until I showed him your website! It does mean a lot to have genuine dentists on here...so, thank you. :)
 
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