When is Retreatment of a Root Canal Needed?

Posted on September 19, 2019

For one reason or another, some San Francisco residents have had a root canal in the past. When you get a root canal, which let’s face it – nobody wants to undergo in the first place, you receive a “promise” that the treatment could last up to a lifetime. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

Sometimes, teeth that have had a root canal in the past require a future treatment to save the tooth for years to come. Here’s a list of some of the most common reasons why you may need your tooth that previously had a root canal retreated.

Your Tooth Didn’t Heal Properly After the Initial Root Canal

Some patients will discover that even though they did everything they were told to do following their initial root canal treatment, their treated tooth simply didn’t heal properly when it was initially addressed. Some of the most common reasons for this occurrence are:

● Some canals were not treated during the initial root canal. This is especially common when you have narrow or curved canals.
● The treated tooth has complicated canal anatomy, that wasn’t initially detected when you had your first root canal.
● After your first root canal, a crown or other restorative treatment wasn’t initially placed.
● The initial root canal you received didn’t prevent salivary contamination from occurring inside the tooth.

Your Tooth Developed a New Problem – Perhaps Even Years After Your Initial Root Canal

Some San Francisco dental patients will discover that sometimes, years after an initial root canal was performed, a new issue arose on the treated tooth that requires additional treatment. Among the new issues that can occur are:

● The tooth suffered new tooth decay. This can result in the root canal filling material being exposed to bacteria, which can lead to a new infection in the tooth. Unfortunately, this can happen years or even decades after a dental patient had his or her first root canal treatment.
● The tooth crown covering the treated tooth has become loose, cracked or broken. This can allow the treated tooth to become exposed to a new tooth infection.
● The tooth, even though covered with a crown, sustained a fracture due to an accident, resulting in the need for an additional treatment.

Always See Your Dentist if Your Tooth With a Root Canal Begins to Hurt

Dental patients should know that teeth that have undergone a root canal aren’t supposed to hurt in the future. So if you have a tooth that had a root canal that begins to hurt, you should see your dentist immediately. It’s possible that the toothache you’re experiencing will require you to have a second treatment on the affected tooth.

Our Doctors Are Your Dentists for a Root Canal

While nobody wants a root canal, much less a secondary treatment to a tooth that already had one, if you need this procedure, there’s no better dentist to perform the treatment in San Francisco than our doctors. She has an impeccable pedigree, including:

● Being a Lecturer at the UCLA School of Dentistry
● Being a member of the American Dental Association, Academy of Operative Dentistry, and American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
● Serving as Vice-Chair on the Committee for New Dentist, as well as the Liaison for the CDA Policy Development Committee for the California Dental Association
● Being a Member of the Western Los Angeles Dental Society, including serving as the Executive Committee, as an editor, as well as Delegate to the CDA House of Delegates
● Being a San Francisco Dental Society member, including being a member of the Professional Development Committee.

If you’re ready to schedule an evaluation of your tooth that’s previously been treated with a root canal but hurting again, call our San Francisco dental practice today at (415) 757-0110.