Coronal dentin dysplasia is a rare hereditary condition that causes problems in the dentin, or the strong inner tooth material that's covered with the enamel. Children with dentin dysplasia might have severely discolored baby teeth with deformities in the upper part of the root canal, which is called the pulp chamber. When the baby teeth fall out and the permanent teeth grow in, most of the severe damage is gone. But there is still the potential for dysplasia symptoms in adult teeth.

What are the dental treatments available for coronal dentin dysplasia in adult teeth?

Veneers, Bonds, or Dental Crowns for Discoloration

Adult teeth affected by coronal dentin dysplasia typically aren't as discolored as affected baby teeth. But the discoloration that happens is intrinsic, which means that traditional dental whitening procedures won't work.  That's because standard teeth bleaching only lightens the surface stains on the enamel, not the dentin.

Instead, a cosmetic dentist can cover the discoloration with veneers, bonds, or dental crowns. The former two are better when the tooth itself is fairly strong and the latter for cases when the dentin is weak or already damaged with breaks or chips.

Bonds and veneers both only cover the front of the tooth. The exterior of the tooth is filed down to better accommodate the bond or veneer but the rear and sides of the natural tooth are left exposed. The difference comes down to application: resin bonds are molded into place in the dentist's office while porcelain veneers are crafted in a lab and then attached in another dentist appointment. Bonds are cheaper but less strong and more prone to staining.

Dental crowns are porcelain and lab-crafted but instead of covering the front of the tooth, a crown covers the whole tooth. The artificial crown thus forms new dentin and enamel layers for the tooth.

Root Canal Procedure for Pulp Treatment

The pulp chamber deformities found in some cases of dentin dysplasia can cause discomfort, inflammation, and make the tooth more prone to infection. The chamber can also form calcified lumps called pulp stones. Your dentist might want to perform a root canal procedure to clear out the pulp, stones, and to seal the root canal against potential infections.

Root canal therapy starts with the dentist drilling a hole in the natural crown to access the root canal. Any pulp and stones located in the pulp chamber are cleaned out. A bio-safe material is then injected into the canal to seal it up and helps fortify the canal walls. The tooth hole is then covered up with a dental crown.

Extraction and Dental Implant

Adult teeth with coronal dentin dysplasia can have weakened dentin that makes the tooth susceptible to damage. Breaks and chips, particularly combined with pulp deformities, can leave the tooth too damaged to salvage. Your dentist might recommend extraction followed by a dental replacement to keep your bite in line.

Dental implants are one of the better long-term dental replacement options because the implant root stimulates bone and tissue health. Without that stimulation, the bone under the dental replacement could erode and start to cause problems from other natural teeth in the area.