Did Your Root Canal Produce Bad Results?

In most cases, root canal treatment is a success. Once the endodontist is finished with surgery, the patient returns home, spends ample time recovering and healing, and the tooth that was saved remains in place for a lifetime. However, that’s not always the situation. In rare instances, these teeth may not heal correctly, become diseased and cause immense pain months or even years after your root canal. Should this happen, there is a solution that your endodontist in Richardson can provide – retreatment. Read on to learn what you should look for if you suspect your root canal therapy was unsuccessful and how EPO Dental Specialists can help.

What Can Cause an Unsuccessful Endodontic Treatment?

A root canal is designed to alleviate pain and discomfort caused by an infection in the inner layer of the tooth. Once this problem is eliminated, you expect to have a pain and disease-free, natural tooth that no longer requires potential extraction. Unfortunately, an unsuccessful root canal can result in painful, diseased teeth. This can happen as a result of:

• Canals that were not properly cleaned out during surgery
• The anatomy of the tooth’s canals was much more complex than originally thought
• A dental crown was not placed in a timely manner after root canal therapy
• The custom restoration did not seal off potential contamination to the inner layer of the tooth

What Problems Can Arise After Surgery?

Even if none of the above-mentioned scenarios occurred, additional problems can arise that might affect the success of your root canal, including:

• Additional decay that can contaminate the filling and produce infection
• A dental crown or filling that has been damaged
• A fractured tooth

How Can Retreatment with EPO Dental Specialists Help?

As we mentioned earlier, the potential need for retreatment is extremely rare; however, it does happen, and when it does, it’s important that you find a dental professional who can help. At EPO Dental Specialists, we offer endodontic retreatment to patients who have undergone a failed root canal.

During retreatment, we will reopen the problem tooth and remove any of the canal filling before cleaning out the canals and examining the inside of the tooth. After thoroughly checking for any additional canals, the area will be filled and sealed before a temporary filling is placed. Once the procedure is complete, you will need to return to have a new dental crown placed over the tooth to protect and restore it.

It is unlikely that a traditional root canal procedure will lead to complications or failure; however, no surgery is 100% without risk. Knowing how to handle the situation and what type of treatment is available can be beneficial in saving your teeth, should it be necessary.

About the Author
Dr. Javier Ortiz pursued his DMD degree with honors from the University of Puerto Rico. Moving to Boston, MA, after graduation, he continued his residency at Tufts University, completing his General Practice Residency in 2007. He then went on to completed his endodontic specialty training at Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine with a master’s degree in dentistry. His expertise is in root canal treatments, root canal retreatments, trauma treatment, and endodontic surgery. If you’ve had a bad experience with another dental office and need assistance, don’t hesitate to visit our website or call (972) 479-1200. Dr. Ortiz and the team at EPO Dental Specialists are here to help.