How Many Times Can You Get A Root Canal Procedure On The Same Tooth? A dentist can repeat a root canal treatment on a tooth two or more times. While teeth that undergo a root canal procedure can last a lifetime, some of these teeth may not heal properly due to salivary contamination and other reasons.
Can Root Canal Treatment Be Repeated? Although a dentist can do a second or third root canal treatment—or more—on a tooth, the results are unpredictable. Even the most skilled dentists can perform root canal treatment that fails. Studies show that root canal treatment has an 86 – 98% success rate.
Extraction: When retreatment fails, a tooth may be extracted. You could need a dental implant to fill the space. Apicoectomy: During this dental treatment, your endodontist partially or completely removes the tip of the root and applies a new seal.
Retreated teeth can function well for years, even for a lifetime. Advances in technology are constantly changing the way root canal treatment is performed, so your endodontist may use new techniques that were not available when you had your first procedure.
With the proper care, a tooth that's been treated with a root canal can last a lifetime. However, while this treatment is over 95% successful, there is a remote possibility that your dentist will recommend that you have yours redone.
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
Root canal retreatment is virtually painless. Plus, the recovery is much more comfortable than a tooth extraction. Once treatment is complete, you can enjoy a pain-free smile. Lasting Results—root canal retreatment restores the integrity of your tooth and can prevent an extraction.
The success rate for a root canal retreatment runs at around 75%. Root canal treatments and retreatments are a better alternative than extraction for most individuals. If a tooth has good bone support, a solid surface and healthy gums beneath it, it stands a good chance of being saved.
Tenderness or pain in the tooth when applying pressure, even after recovering from treatment. Swelling after recovery or pimple-like structures developing and leaking pus in the area. Temperature sensitivity, such as a quick, sharp pain after taking a sip of hot coffee or cold soda.
You will need a new crown after having the root canal because the structural integrity of the crown would have been compromised. The root canal performed can become reinfected again if the old crown is used.
You should be concerned if the discomfort persists for a long time, affecting your everyday life and making you unwilling to engage in routine tasks like eating and chewing. A dental X-ray may be ordered by your endodontist to confirm root canal failure. Without therapy, a failed root canal will not improve.
Dealing with a Failed Root Canal
Some root canals require a secondary root canal treatment. However, when a root canal fails, a re-treatment is not always recommended. Tooth extraction is normally the treatment followed as it removes the infected tooth.
When you have tooth pain such as a tooth infection, antibiotics can go a long way in helping to address the infection, but unfortunately, antibiotics cannot completely heal an infected tooth. What's more, if you're dealing with an infected root canal, antibiotics really are not going to cut it.
Once a tooth has a root canal it is brittle because the blood supply to the tooth has been filled in. It's still possible to bite down and crack the root or an existing crack under the crown may grow down the root. This may cause pain when biting down on the crown in certain ways. Sometimes the pain will come and go.
Retreatment. The most common option for failed root canals is retreatment. This option has the highest success rate, and involves removing the original filling and disinfecting the canal. We then reseal the area to help prevent further infection and to stop bacteria from entering.
If infection does reoccur it doesn't mean the tooth is lost. It's possible a second root canal treatment can successfully correct any problems, especially those that may not have been detected the first time. More complex cases might also require the services of an endodontist, a specialist in root canals.
Dentists or root canal specialists called “endodontists” may be liable for dental malpractice if they breach the standard of care in performing a root canal procedure.
During any root canal, body tissues not directly being treated have a chance to become agitated and mildly inflamed. In the case of throbbing pain after a root canal, the culprit is the bone surrounding the tooth. The bone tissue becomes irritated and provokes some discomfort. For most patients, this is very mild.
First, though the nerve-filled “pulp” is removed from your tooth, there are still other nerves and sensitive tissues near the canal of your tooth, and these can be irritated and become swollen or inflamed after your endodontic treatment, causing some minor discomfort.
Retreatment may be more affordable and less time-consuming. It also gives a patient a second chance to save the tooth. If you think that a tooth needs retreatment, schedule an appointment with your dentist for evaluation.
A dentist can repeat a root canal treatment on a tooth two or more times. While teeth that undergo a root canal procedure can last a lifetime, some of these teeth may not heal properly due to salivary contamination and other reasons.
Length of the endodontic retreatment procedure
An endodontic retreatment is essentially a repeat root canal. Therefore, if you remember how long your first procedure took, the length of the retreatment should be comparable. On average, it takes about 90 minutes.
Extraction of teeth with existing root canal is a complex procedure. The tooth and its roots become very brittle and fracture easily during extraction. This requires careful surgical techniques to remove the teeth gently while preserving the surrounding bone important for healing and future implant placement.
An alternative to a root canal is a tooth extraction, in which your dentist can replace a damaged tooth with a bridge, partial denture, or implant. This can be an expensive treatment and usually requires several visits to your doctor. If you're a candidate for a root canal, you'll likely experience less pain over time.