Root Canal Retreatment
In some cases, a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy can become painful or diseased months or years after treatment. When this happens, we perform root canal retreatment.
Why didn’t my first root canal work?
For someone who has already undergone root canal therapy, it can be frustrating to have to get the same tooth retreated. Unfortunately, root canal retreatment can fail if any of the following occur:
- The structure of the tooth’s canal system can make narrow or curved canals go undetected.
- Trauma to the tooth can cause the root to fracture, resulting in loose, cracked, or broken crowns and fillings.
- Bacteria and decay can invade your tooth under a loose filling or ill-fitting crown.
What happens during root canal retreatment?
Retreating a root canal is much like the process of a regular root canal, except we have to remove any crowns, fillings, and posts beforehand. If possible, we will always try to preserve the restoration to make it more convenient and cost-effective for you. Once the restorative materials have been removed, we re-open the canals and remove the infection with the help of specialized tools.
While root canal retreatment is an effective therapy that can last a lifetime, not everyone is a candidate. If you have complex curved canals or if your canals are blocked, we may recommend an apicoectomy to remove the root tip.
