Root canal retreatment
A tooth that has had a root canal can usually last a lifetime. When one does not heal, or starts to hurt months or years later, retreatment gives it a second chance.
Mountain View 650-691-0999Saratoga 408-252-5700
Why a treated tooth can hurt again
Occasionally a tooth that had a root canal does not heal, or it heals and becomes painful or infected months or even years later. It can usually be kept with a second treatment.
What retreatment involves
- Reopening the tooth. Dr. Hirose numbs the tooth and reopens it through the crown or filling.
- Removing the old filling material. Under the microscope he takes out the material from the first treatment and looks closely for missed canals, cracks and leakage.
- Cleaning and resealing. The canals are cleaned, shaped, filled and sealed again.
- Restoring the tooth. Your dentist then places a new crown or filling to protect it.
Retreatment or surgery
Both can work well, and the right choice depends on the tooth. In the systematic review, surgery had slightly higher success at two to four years, and retreatment at four to six years. When retreatment is not practical, an apicoectomy treats the root tip directly.
Follow-up
As with a first root canal, Dr. Hirose checks the tooth again over the following year or two, because healing at the root tip takes time.
Questions patients ask
Why would a root canal fail?
Common reasons include a canal that was not found the first time, curved or narrow canals, new decay, a cracked or broken filling or crown that lets bacteria back in, and a delay in placing the final restoration.
Does retreatment work?
It often does. In a systematic review, nonsurgical retreatment was successful in 83 percent of cases at four to six years. Finding the cause of the failure matters most, so Dr. Hirose looks for it carefully before recommending anything.
What if retreatment is not possible?
If a post or crown cannot be removed safely, or the problem is at the tip of the root, a small surgical procedure called an apicoectomy may be the better choice. If the tooth cannot be saved, Dr. Hirose will tell you plainly.
Related
Relief starts with a call
Call the office closest to you. If you are in pain, say so when you call, and the team will look for the soonest opening at either office.
Request an appointment-
Mountain View
100 West El Camino Real, Unit 67
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Saratoga
18988 Cox Avenue, Suite D