Endodontic Retreatment
With the appropriate care, your teeth that have had non-surgical root canal therapy will last as long as other natural teeth; however, no dental treatment is ever 100% successful and problems can arise. If there is a problem with a tooth that has had non-surgical root canal therapy, endodontic re-treatment may be needed.
Success or healing of a tooth that has had non-surgical root canal therapy may be more dependent upon the final restoration rather than the actually therapy itself. Because of this, it is imperative that every tooth that has had non-surgical root canal therapy have the appropriate follow-up care. This regimen should be given to you at the end of your treatment.
In certain cases, there may be failure of treatment or inadequate healing. Improper healing may be caused by:
- Non-surgical root canal therapy that was completed in an un-satisfactory environment
- Curved or narrow canals were not treated during the initial treatment.
- Complicated canals that 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 saliva from contaminating the inside of the tooth.
- Improper diagnosis of teeth that were not amenable to root canal therapy
- Certain medical conditions
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.
In some of these cases, it may be necessary to redo non-surgical root canal therapy in order to re-clean the root canal system. This treatment is commonly called a retreatment. It is usually achieved in the same manner in which the original treatment was accomplished.
Once retreatment has been selected as the appropriate option, the doctors will re-open your tooth to gain access to the root canal filling material. Occasionally this will require drilling through an existing crown or filling. The restorative material along with the root canal filling material will be removed to enable access to the root canal. The doctors will now clean your canals and carefully examine the inside of the tooth for any obvious explanation for the failure. Once the canals are thoroughly cleaned, the doctors will fill and seal the canals along with placing the appropriate filling in the tooth. Occasionally you will need to see your primary dentist for further care. We will instruct you on the necessary post-treatment care.
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