Abnormal tooth color

Introduction Because the surface of the tooth is covered with a layer of enamel, it is transparent or translucent, and its deep part is dentin, which is pale yellow. The color of the teeth is related to the degree of calcification of the enamel. The higher the degree of calcification, the more transparent the enamel is, and the true color of the deep dentin through it makes the teeth pale yellow, and the color of the teeth is abnormal in various dental diseases.

Cause

Causes of abnormal color of teeth

There are many reasons for the abnormal color of the teeth, which may be due to innate causes or acquired. The coloration of the teeth caused by congenital causes is that most teeth have symmetry color changes when the teeth erupt. Commonly, there are dental fluorosis, tetracycline teeth, and enamel hypoplasia. The coloration of the teeth caused by the acquired causes is that the color of the teeth is normal when the teeth erupt. After the bad stimulation, the color of the individual teeth gradually changes, such as the occurrence of dental caries or trauma.

an examination

Related inspection

Oral X-ray examination of oral endoscope

Examination of abnormal tooth color

The tooth consists of three parts: the crown, the root and the neck. It is exposed in the part of the mouth that is not covered by the gums. The surface of the crown is covered with a layer of enamel. The medical term is called enamel, which has a normal thickness of about 2-2.5 mm. The enamel is mainly composed of 96% inorganic substances and a small amount of organic matter and water. It is the hardest and most calcified tissue in the human body and has good resistance to chewing wear. The color of enamel is closely related to the degree of calcification. The higher the degree of calcification, the more transparent the enamel. Below the enamel is dentin, the constituents of dentin are similar to bone, and the color is yellow or yellowish. Since the normal calcified enamel of adults is translucent, the color of the dentin can pass through the enamel, resulting in a normal healthy crown with a pale yellow translucent ivory color.

Differential diagnosis

Symptoms of abnormal color of teeth

White to brown plaque on the teeth: The clinical manifestations of fluorosis are characterized by white to brown patches on the enamel erupted during the same period, and severe enamel defects are also present. Clinically, it is divided into three types: white (milk), pigmented (moderate) and defective (severe) according to its light, medium and severe.

The teeth are brownish black: the color of the teeth changes abnormally and appears brownish black. Coloration in the teeth is the discoloration of the teeth caused by the tissue structure or nutrient change of the teeth. Common necrosis of the pulp, enamel enamel and drug deposition cause tooth discoloration. Coloring outside the teeth means that the surface of the teeth is pigmented.

Yellow teeth: The teeth appear yellow due to various reasons.

Dark spots of teeth: Some people drink or eat foods that are easy to dye for a long time, or long-term exposure to certain minerals, such as long-term use of potassium permanganate water to gargle, silver nitrate treatment of oral diseases can be exposed to mercury. Both can make the teeth black. Contact with iron, sulfur and other substances, it is easy to make the teeth appear black and green. In addition, enamel hypoplasia, dentin hypoplasia, hereditary opal teeth, dental fluorosis, tetracycline teeth, dental caries, etc. can make the teeth yellow, brown, black.

The crown is translucent opalescent: the clinical manifestation of hereditary opalescent teeth is translucent opalescent, which can be either light yellow or brownish yellow. X-ray films showed that the early medullary cavity was larger, and after enamel abrasion, calcification atresia gradually appeared in the medullary cavity and root canal. Periodontal support tissue is normal. Sometimes a shel tooth is seen, which is characterized by a large medullary cavity, a thin dentin layer, and an abnormally short root, but no root absorption.

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.