Endodontic Retreatment

Endodontic Retreatment

Modern dentistry and endodontics are incredibly reliable, safe and effective. However, there are rare cases where a tooth that has been treated does not properly heal as intended. As a result, the tooth can become diseased resulting in persistent pain. The situation can occur months and even years after the initial treatment. Any time a tooth has failed to heal properly and develops new unexpected problems, there is a reliable solution. The solution is known as endodontic retreatment.

Endodontic retreatment is a type of procedure that is intended to support healthy healing in order to save a tooth or series of teeth. Any time persistent dental pain or discomfort is experienced with regard to a particular tooth that has had previous treatment it is important to consult with an endodontist about options. It is good to note that many dental procedures are successful, resulting in normal healing only later to develop new or additional problems. When this happens, endodontic retreatment is typically the best strategy.

Conversely, a tooth may not heal properly from the very beginning following a dental procedure or treatment. One reason for this can include a complex canal anatomy that was not completely detected during the first procedure. There are even cases where curved or very narrow root canals are not treated because they are simply not detected. These cases and others may all require endodontic retreatment. Another situation where retreatment is advisable includes when a fracture occurs in a tooth that has already been treated. In addition, a crown or filling that becomes broken, cracked or loosened can expose a tooth to new infections.

Even a restoration procedure may result in contamination deep within the tooth, thereby requiring endodontic retreatment. Other situations that may demand retreatment include improper placement of a crown or other types of restorations as well as the delaying of crown placement following standard endodontic treatment.

A retreatment procedure may require that the endodontist reopen a tooth to remove any existing filling material. Once this is been accomplished, the tooth is then carefully examined for any signs of infection. If discovered, all infection is carefully removed followed by a cleaning and reshaping of the canal. Finally, new filling material is placed in the canal and carefully sealed. A temporary filling is applied followed by a new crown thereby completing the retreatment procedure.

To learn more about endodonticretreatment, please visit our FAQs or call our office in Houston TX at (281) 416-4024.