Can a Crown That Covers a Dark Tooth Match My Surrounding Teeth?

Posted by AllSmiles

I have crowns on my two center front teeth. One tooth is dark gray and had a root canal on it in 2008. I got new crowns in early 2024, but the dark tooth shows through the crown on it. My dentist can’t get the color right, so the crown doesn’t match the other teeth. My dentist recommended zirconia crowns because of their strength, which is ideal for biting into food like apples with front teeth. He said sometimes zirconia doesn’t look so good on dark teeth, but the crowns will last. Is that the final answer? Is it unrealistic to expect my crowns to match each other and my surrounding teeth? I hesitate to make a final payment, which implies that I am satisfied with the work. Thanks. Phil from Chicago

Phil,

Although zirconia is the strongest material for dental crowns, achieving an aesthetic result often requires a dental ceramist to layer it with porcelain. For a dark tooth, your dentist must communicate the desired final crown color and the color of the underlying tooth, often by including photos. Some dentists apply the opaquer directly to the tooth before sending it to the ceramist, while others leave the opaquing process to the ceramist.

An experienced dentist and ceramist team is crucial for achieving high-quality cosmetic results. Master ceramists who excel at creating beautiful, natural-looking crowns are rare, so skilled cosmetic dentists will seek qualified ceramists and build relationships with them.

What Are Some Common Mistakes in Crown Color Matching?

A common mistake made by many dentists and ceramists is over-opaquing, which results in a tooth that is unnaturally white and lacks natural color variations. To avoid this, a ceramist may apply opaquer deep within the crown, with more translucent porcelain layered over it. This process enables the ceramist to utilize the full thickness of the crown to achieve a natural-looking translucency.

Matching a veneer to a crown is also a complex task that requires expertise. Your dentist’s suggestion of a porcelain veneer for your other front tooth is commendable because it is less aggressive than preparing a tooth for a crown. However, successfully matching a veneer to an existing crown requires a dentist and ceramist with skills in color manipulation.

We recommend obtaining a second opinion before discussing a resolution with your dentist.

Chandler, Arizona, dentists Dr. William Walden and Dr. Tyrel Beavers sponsor this post. Read about what they do to provide patients with some of the best dental care in Chandler.