With proper care, you can keep your teeth that have had root canal treatment for a lifetime. However, it is possible that the teeth don’t heal properly and cause you pain and discomfort even years after the treatment. If this happens, you have still got a chance to save your affected teeth. Retreating the teeth that have undergone a root canal is the only option left to eliminate the pain and discomfort.
Causes
Just like any other medical or dental procedure, there is a possibility that your teeth would not heal as expected. It can happen due to several reasons, such as:
- Tooth restoration failed to prevent contamination from saliva
- There was a delay in placing a crown on the tooth after root canal
- Untreated arrow or curved canals
- Cracked or fractured tooth
- Infection due to new tooth decay
- Exposure to bacteria due to damaged crown or filling
Treatment
Root canal or endodontic retreatment begins with the removal of the crown or filling to access the filling material that was placed in the root canal after the first treatment. After removing the fillings, the dentist will carefully look for additional canals or new infections, which may require treatment. He will then remove the infections, clean and reshape the canals and refill them.
In some cases, the canals can be unusually narrow, for which your dentist may recommend surgery to seal a slight portion of the root tip. Lastly, the dentist places a temporary filling to seal the opening. After the tooth heals completely, he will put a new crown to restore it.
The healing process and the recovery time depends on your oral health. To ease the discomfort from surgery, your dentist will prescribe you some painkillers to reduce pain and tissue inflammation.
However, if you still experience intense pain or pus is generating from the surgical site, immediately see your dentist. Call Porter Smiles Dental on 281-519-7200 and book an appointment with us.