Obtain Esthetic Results With Conservative Treatment

By Mario F. Romero, DDS, David Urbanawiz, DMD, Courtney S. Babb, DMD

Alterations in tooth color in the esthetic zone can prove challenging for oral health professionals who seek to provide conservative treatment. Achieving an “ideal” result can be difficult, and selecting a conservative approach requires thorough knowledge of minimally invasive procedures. In 1951, Markley¹ stated that “loss of even part of a human tooth should be considered a serious injury, and that dentistry’s goal should be to preserve healthy natural tooth structure.” As in all aspects of dentistry, diagnosis plays an important role in choosing the best treatment option. In these cases, it is necessary to understand the etiology of tooth discoloration. Historically, discoloration has been classified according to the location of the stain, which may be either intrinsic or extrinsic.² Intrinsic discoloration occurs when the structural composition or thickness of the dental hard tissues are altered; extrinsic discoloration is caused by organic stains on the enamel surface.² Additionally, any histological changes in enamel, dentin or coronal pulp structures can affect the light-transmitting properties of the tooth,³ modifying its natural appearance. Common local causes of tooth discoloration include pulpal necrosis, intrapulpal hemorrhage, pulp tissue remnants after endodontic therapy, endodontic materials, coronal restorative materials, root resorption, and aging.⁴

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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