One of the most common patient questions patients ask is, “can a decayed tooth be saved?” While this depends on the extent of the damage, decayed teeth are generally salvageable, particularly with a dental crown.
Post-and-core foundation – If the natural tooth is not stable enough to support a crown, a metal post may be used to help hold the crown in place. With this treatment, the decayed part of the tooth is cleaned out. Then, a metal post is cemented into the root of the tooth, and a crown is placed on top of it.
You might see pus around your tooth, and you'll notice your gums pulling away from contact with the tooth. Your gums might swell, and that swelling could extend to your face and neck, too. At this point, your tooth will likely have to be removed.
When decay reaches the inner material of your tooth (pulp), you may need a root canal. This is a treatment to repair and save a badly damaged or infected tooth instead of removing it. The diseased tooth pulp is removed. Medication is sometimes put into the root canal to clear any infection.
Bacteria will eventually get to exposed soft tissues in the pulp chamber when the decay is left untreated. This leads to an infection, which leads to excruciating toothaches. A tooth infection can spread to areas like the brain where it can be life-threatening.
If there is only slight tooth decay present, the dentist can clean out the decay and then fill the whole with a filling.
Unfortunately, if there isn't enough tooth remaining or if a significant amount of a tooth's structure has been removed, your dentist can't place a crown. Instead, they may suggest other options to restore your smile.
Root Canals Aren't Possible with Severe Infection
If the procedure isn't done promptly, however, the infection can spread. If the deepest layers of the pulp become infected, it may be too late to save the tooth.
Treatments for a black tooth
Your dentist can usually remove a small amount of tooth around this area, removing the staining and/or decay and placing a some tooth-coloured bonding material over this area. The tooth bonding will blend in naturally with your surrounding teeth, making the repair invisible.
Both a root canal treatment and a dental crown are independent procedures. Getting a crown doesn't always require a root canal and vice versa. However, in some instances, you might require both treatments.
The tooth may also appear black when damage occurs from the inside. The most common causes of black teeth in these cases are decay or cavities. For example, a tooth with a pulp infection or a dead tooth may turn black. The damage starts on the inside and works its way to the surface.
Some times a protective layer of tooth structure is formed known as secondary dentin (sclerotic dentin) that is black in nature. So if you are noticing a blacking of your tooth after it has broken off, it could be the sclerotic dentin of the tooth exposing itself.
A dying tooth may appear yellow, light brown, gray, or even black. It may look almost as if the tooth is bruised. The discoloration will increase over time as the tooth continues to decay and the nerve dies. If you experience any symptoms of a dying tooth, it's important to see your dentist right away.
Root canal therapy is recommended when teeth can be saved with treatment, while an extraction is performed when the tooth's structure is too damaged, or a crack goes beneath the gum's surface, not leaving enough structure for stability or use after the repair.
A root canal treatment is a highly effective way to save a deeply decayed tooth. Sometimes, though, complications make it difficult or even impossible to perform the traditional procedure. In those cases, we may need to use a different option.
A crown should be placed within a few months of the root canal, but it can take up to a year for your tooth's nerves to heal completely. A crown is a replacement tooth that covers the root canal. The cost of getting a crown depends on your insurance plan—and whether you're getting porcelain or metal.
This often happens when the tooth enamel is trimmed away during the crowning process and the dentin is exposed. This means that the crown does not completely cover your tooth. If this is the case, your dentist can apply a solution to the crowned tooth to protect the exposed dentin from temperature changes.
In the initial stages of decay, teeth can be saved through various diet choices and oral care routines. However, once decay progresses, rotting teeth can only be saved through dental procedures.
A cavity filling will cost $150 to $1,100 per tooth in 2023, depending on the type of material used and the severity of the cavity.
If your tooth is damaged, but enough of the tooth structure is healthy, your dentist can save your tooth. It will need treatment, but since your natural teeth are sturdier than options like a bridge or dentures, most dentists will opt to save your tooth over extracting it where possible.
Once a tooth is damaged or decaying, it's only a matter of time before it dies. Depending on how heavy the damage, the tooth could die within a matter of days or even a couple of months. Darkened or discolored teeth are often the first sign that your tooth is on its way out.
It is important to remember that it can take months or years for a tooth to die. Once a tooth is non-vital, it will eventually fall out, but this process is not one that can be predicted in advance. It is much better to see your dentist and get treatment for a dead tooth.
Tooth Sensitivity or Pain – As the nerves that lead to a dying tooth begin to die away, they may become extra sensitive, causing you a tooth ache or sensitivity to hot or cold foods. You may experience pain while chewing at or around the site of the dead tooth.
When you have a black tooth the best thing to do is to contact a dental professional – who can assess the situation. Luckily, even the more serious causes of a black tooth can usually be fixed through the right dental or orthodontic treatment.