Endodontic Retreatment
Endodontic Retreatment
If your tooth failed to heal or develops new problems, you have a second chance.
What is Endodontic Retreatment?
With proper care, even teeth that have had root canal treatment can last a lifetime. Unfortunately sometimes a tooth that has been treated doesn't heal properly and can become painful or diseased months or even years after treatment. If your tooth failed to heal or develops new problems, you have a second chance. An additional procedure may be able to support healing and save your tooth. If you have pain or discomfort in a previously treated tooth, talk to us about retreatment.
Why you might need another endodontic procedure?
As is the case with any dental or medical procedure, a tooth may not heal as expected after initial treatment for a variety of reasons:
- Narrow or curved canals were not treated during the initial procedure.
- Complicated canal anatomy went undetected in the first procedure.
- The placement of the crown or other restoration was delayed following the endodontic treatment.
- The restoration did not prevent salivary contamination to the inside of the tooth.
In other cases, a new problem can arise and jeopardize a tooth that was successfully treated.
For example:
- New decay can expose the root canal filling material to bacteria, causing a new infection in the tooth.
- A loose, cracked or broken crown or filling can expose the tooth to new infection.
- A tooth sustains a fracture.
What will happen during retreatment?
01
Discuss Treatment Options
First, the doctor will discuss your treatment options. If you and your doctor choose retreatment, the endodontist will reopen your tooth to gain access to the root canal filling material. In many cases, complex restorative materials—crown, post and core material—must be disassembled and removed to permit access to the root canals.
02
Cleaning and Inspection
After removing the canal filling, the doctor can clean the canals and carefully examine the inside of your tooth using magnification and illumination, searching for any additional canals or unusual anatomy that requires treatment.
03
Temporary Filling
After cleaning the canals, the doctor fills and seals the canals and places a temporary filling in the tooth. If the canals are unusually narrow or blocked, we may recommend endodontic surgery. This surgery involves making an incision to allow the other end of the root to be sealed.
04
Follow-Up Visit
After your doctor completes retreatment, you will need to return as soon as possible to have a new crown or other restoration placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to its full function.