Endodontic Retreatment

With appropriate hygiene and routine dental check-ups, teeth that have had endodontic treatment will last as long as other natural teeth. Occasionally, a tooth that has received treatment may fail to heal or can become re-infected years after treatment. In those cases, endodontic re-treatment may allow you to retain your tooth.

Reinfection may be caused by:

  • Curved, narrow, or malformed roots that were not found or cleaned during the initial treatment.
  • Hidden canals went undetected during the initial treatment.
  • The crown or restoration was not placed within the appropriate amount of time following the procedure.
  • The crown or restoration did not prevent bacteria from contaminating the inside of the tooth.

In some cases, new problems can influence a tooth that was successfully treated:

  • New decay can expose a root canal filling material, causing infection.
  • A cracked or loose filling or crown can expose the tooth to new infection.

Once retreatment has been selected as a solution to your problem, the doctor will reopen your tooth to gain access to the root canals. The old root canal filling materials will be removed, and the emptied root canal space will be disinfected thoroughly.  Once cleaned, the doctor will fill and seal the canals permanently. Re-treatments usually require two appointment.

For more information, click on the ROOT CANAL THERAPY tab above.

At this point, you will need to return to your dentist as soon as possible in order to have a new crown or restoration placed on the tooth to restore full functionality.