Why retreat a root canal

Retreats can happen even to the most highly-trained specialists. While Dr. Monica does perform some retreats at our office, we will refer many retreat cases to a specialist.

Endodontists the specialists have much more experience in performing both retreats and original root canals and because they do these procedures every day, they can be a great resource when needed. Monica will typically recommend that the tooth be extracted. Usually, this is a crown but in some cases normally with front teeth it can be a filling. In some cases, the original crown will break during your procedure, but this is not the most common outcome.

If that happens, you will need a new crown to protect your tooth. As Dr. So this procedure can buy you time and help keep your original teeth in your mouth. Had root canal approximately 20 years ago, and placed a porcelain crown on 5 tooth. Porcelain crown broke portion. After the canals are cleaned, the tooth is again filled with gutta-percha, and the canals are sealed.

A temporary filling is placed in the tooth. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia, which numbs the affected area and relieves any pain and discomfort. The anesthesia also helps patients relax.

A follow-up appointment will be needed to permanently restore, using a crown or other material, the tooth, allowing it to function fully, and protecting it against future infection or decay. After root canal re-treatment, patients may experience pain, discomfort and tenderness for a few days. Patients are advised to avoid biting and chewing on the affected side. To relieve symptoms, patients can take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen or aspirin, and can also gently rinse the mouth with warm salt water three to four times a day.

Although root canal re-treatment is considered safe, there are certain risks and complications associated with the procedure. Some of these risks include damage to the tooth and repeated infections. Patients can minimize these risks by adhering to pre- and post-procedure instructions.

This procedure is successful for many patients. This antibiotic medicament is left in the tooth for some time to reduce the number of bacteria and give the tooth the best chances of healing.

On the second visit, the calcium hydroxide paste is removed, the canals are once again thoroughly cleaned and shaped, and a new root canal filling is placed. Finally, a temporary filling is placed to close the opening in your tooth.

Your dentist will remove this temporary filling at the time the tooth is restored. Following root canal retreatment your tooth is susceptible to fracturing, or to infection due to loss of the temporary filling.