What Does Root Canal Retreatment Mean?
You may have recently been to your dentist and received a root canal treatment. In many cases, these treatments are successful in saving the tooth. But sometimes complications can arise from a root canal treatment. In this case, it often requires the root canal to be redone, performed by an Endodontist. Endodontists are specialists because we have completed an additional two or more years of training beyond dental school. Our additional training focuses on diagnosing tooth pain and performing root canal treatment and retreatments.
When Do You Need a Root Canal Retreatment?
There can be different situations requiring root canal retreatment, such as:
- The root canal does not heal properly after treatment.
- There could be an additional root or canal space that was not evident in the dental x-rays.
- You may have narrow, curved or obstructed canals in some cases, making it difficult to fully clean some areas of infection.
- A crown was not placed over the tooth shortly after a root canal treatment. When there is no crown, saliva can enter and recontaminate the tooth which can cause further infection.
- The crown or filling can get a new cavity around it or become loose, cracked, or broken, exposing the tooth to a new infection.
- The tooth suffers a fracture.
- Your immune system may be more compromised not allowing healing.
We specialize in diagnosing and getting to the bottom of the problem. We are reliable experts for root canal treatment and retreatment here in Apple Valley and Lakeville, MN. We use advanced technology and techniques—an operating microscope and 3D imaging—that successfully and thoroughly help us complete your root canal retreatment.
What Happens During Root Canal Retreatment?
Firstly, we reopen your tooth to gain access to the root canal filling material. In many cases, we will need to remove some restorative material such as the crown, post, or core material to permit access to the root canals.
We carefully examine the inside of your tooth using magnification and illumination, searching for any additional canals or unusual anatomy that requires treatment and clean the canals with advanced specialized techniques. After cleaning the canals, we will fill and seal the canals.
After your retreatment, you will need to return to your dentist as soon as possible to have a new crown placed or permanent filling on the tooth to protect and restore it to its full function.
Summary
The idea of getting retreatment may seem daunting at first. However, you are in good hands! We perform these procedures routinely and will get to the bottom of your root canal problem and do everything possible to get it fixed! If you need a root canal retreatment or have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us. We are glad to answer any questions and get you promptly scheduled.
Sincerely,
Dr. JD Simonton