Retreatment

Endodontic Retreatment

With the appropriate care, teeth that have had endodontic treatment will continue to function and last as long as other natural teeth. However, in rare situations some endodontically treated teeth may fail to heal and/or pain can persist. Sometimes, symptoms may occur months or years after treatment. If so, Endodontic Retreatment may be required.

Improper healing may be caused by:

Curved or narrow canals were not treated during the initial treatment.
Complicated 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 saliva 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.

During Endodontic Retreatment, the tooth is reopened to gain access to the existing root canal fillings, which are then removed. The root canal system is carefully evaluated under a microscope, after which it is cleaned, sterilized and re-sealed. Upon completion of the Endodontic Retreatment, you will need to return to your restorative dentist within several weeks to have a new permanent crown or filling placed to restore the tooth to function.

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