Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic: If Your Gums Have Turned Black, What Is the Cause of Front Tooth Discoloration?

Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums have turned black, the cause of front tooth discoloration is 바로 "this"

Hello.

I’m the director of Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic.

Have you ever noticed that the area around a restoration you had treated before feels especially dark?

At first, it was clearly white and beautiful,

but as time goes by,

the gum margin may turn black,

or the tooth itself may look dull,

and many people say they become bothered by it.

Why does this happen, exactly?

Today, I’ll explain the reason in a very simple way.

In the past, the standard for front teeth, PFM,

why does it turn black? Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums have turned black, the cause of front tooth discoloration

These days, more than 9 out of 10 patients choose

"zirconia,"

but in the past, a material called PFM

was widely used.

At that time, there weren’t as many material options as there are now,

and it was the most reasonable choice because it was durable while still allowing the outside to look tooth-colored.

Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic, cause of front tooth discoloration

PFM = Porcelain Fused to Metal

A crown made by layering porcelain over metal

The key point is that this restoration is structured as porcelain layered over metal.

As time passes,

the porcelain on the outside may chip away little by little,

and as the gums recede,

the metal edge hidden inside

starts to show like a black line around the gums.

Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic, cause of front tooth discoloration

In the end, the metal that was once an advantage for durability

becomes a drawback that harms esthetics over time.

Why do root canal-treated teeth look darker? Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums have turned black, the cause of front tooth discoloration

In particular, teeth that have undergone root canal treatment

may appear more discolored than other teeth.

Why is that?

To help explain, let’s compare a tooth to a

"tree."

It’s easier to understand if you think of it like a dead old tree

that gradually dries out and turns dark

because it no longer receives moisture and nutrients.

Root canal treatment is the process of removing

the tooth’s internal nerves and blood vessels.

As a result, the tooth no longer receives nutrients,

and the internal tissue gradually dries out,

turning dark brown or black.

Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums have turned black, the cause of front tooth discoloration

So when that dark tooth color shows through the thin gum tissue,

the gums appear black.

"My front teeth have turned black, so I feel self-conscious every time I smile" Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums have turned black, the cause of front tooth discoloration

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A female patient who recently visited our clinic also came in for this exact problem.

She said the gum around her front tooth (#21), which had been treated more than 10 years ago,

had turned black and was very stressful for her.

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In addition, the natural tooth next to it (#11)

was set slightly further inward than the restored tooth,

making the alignment of the teeth look crooked as well.

251202 Treatment plan

1. #21: Remove PFM and replace with zirconia

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Once the existing dark restoration (PFM) is removed,

the tooth underneath is often discolored and appears black.

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"If we place a tooth-colored restoration like zirconia,

won’t the dark color show through?"

You may worry about that.

That is why we perform an additional special process inside the restoration to block dark colors.

To prevent discoloration from showing through,

a protective layer is applied to the inner surface of the restoration,

and zirconia is placed over it.

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In simple terms, it’s similar to applying concealer carefully

to cover dark blemishes.

2. #11: "Laminates" that minimize tooth reduction

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The tooth (#11) that had been positioned crookedly to the side

was also corrected at this opportunity.

But simply because of alignment,

shaving down a healthy natural tooth all the way around 360 degrees

would be too wasteful, wouldn’t it?

My treatment principle is

to avoid unnecessary reduction.

So instead of a crown that covers the entire tooth,

I chose a "minimal-prep laminate" that is bonded after only very slight reshaping of the front surface.

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This method causes almost no damage to the tooth

while dramatically improving the shape and alignment.

Because laminates can enhance esthetics while preserving as much of the natural tooth as possible,

they become a very reasonable and highly satisfying option

for people whose teeth are slightly misaligned but who found orthodontic treatment burdensome.

Different materials, but a result that looks like a single set Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums have turned black, the cause of front tooth discoloration

Although zirconia and laminates are clearly different materials,

we communicated in real time with the technician at our in-house lab

and carefully adjusted the unique shade and translucency of the teeth.

As a result,

even though different materials were used,

the final result was a very natural and aligned set of front teeth,

as if they had always been my original teeth, with no sense of mismatch.

251202(before) 260106 (after)

In particular, the black gum line that had worried the patient

improved clearly,

and seeing the overall alignment become more organized

was very rewarding for me as well. ^^

Front teeth are a very important part of determining the impression of our face.

If the PFM that was once a reasonable choice

has now become a concern,

it is best to check the condition before it gets any later.

Please don’t worry alone—feel free to contact us anytime.

Whether replacement is needed or whether it can still be used a little longer,

we’ll think it through together.^^

With care for your teeth,

we will help you regain the most natural smile.

Thank you~

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Myeongil-dong Dental Clinic: If your gums have turned black, the cause of front tooth discoloration is 바로 'this'

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02-481-4278

| This post was written directly by Seoul Bardi Dental Clinic for the purpose of providing medical information, in compliance with Article 56, Paragraph 1 of the Medical Advertising Act. The information provided is for reference only, and we recommend that you visit a medical institution and receive guidance from a medical professional for symptom assessment and accurate management methods. All procedures/surgeries performed at the dental clinic may carry risks depending on the individual (inflammation, bleeding, swelling, etc.). Please make a decision after sufficient consultation with a medical professional in advance. The treatment cases in this post were photographed with the consent of patients who completed treatment at our clinic, and the before-and-after photos were taken under identical conditions. |