The safety of root canal therapy remains undisputed because the treatment is safe and effective, and over 95% of root canals succeed. However, root canals are a surgical procedure and can fail like any other surgery. The usual culprits for root canal failure are a loose crown, tooth fracture, or new decay. The loss of root canals can happen soon after the procedure or even years later. Therefore there is a need to keep watch for symptoms of root canal failure and have plans on what to do if your root canal fails.
What are the Symptoms of Root canal failure?
The most common symptoms of root canal failure are the following:
- Pain
It is normal to experience some discomfort after undergoing endodontic surgery. The pain remains with you for a few days and is manageable using prescription or over-the-counter painkillers. However, if you have persistent pain lingering or your tooth feels better and starts hurting again, it can indicate root canal failure.
- Swelling
Swelling around the treated tooth is also normal for a couple of days after root canal treatment. You can use ice packs on your cheeks to reduce the swelling. However, if the swelling persists, it indicates a root canal failure.
- Discharge
You may encounter a bloody or pus-filled release from the treated tooth or encompassing gums, demonstrating a new dental abscess has formed. Dental abscesses are generally painful but not in some cases. However, you must have the discharge evaluated by the specialist who performed the surgery.
What Causes Root Canal Failure?
As mentioned earlier, causes of root canal failure are a result of a loose crown, tooth fracture, or new decay. Besides the above, if you had the treatment on a molar having multiple canals, making it complicated for the specialist to clean them, some infection may remain in the tooth to cause the pain. In addition, root canal-treated teeth can become painful or diseased months or years later after the treatment.
New trauma, loose crowns, or broken fillings can cause new infections in your tooth. Additionally, the specialist may realize more and intensely tiny or curved canals that remained concealed during the initial procedure. Fortunately, advances in endodontics now make it possible to save teeth even in conditions where the treatment was not effective in the first place.
How Do Endodontists Treat a Failed Root Canal?
When you observe root canal failure signs, you must immediately call the dental clinic in Midland, ON. Treatment options are available to quickly get you back on the path to good oral health without extracting the affected tooth.
When Endodontists see root canal failure, they recommend root canal retreatment as the first course of action. The specialist disassembles the restorative materials in your tooth to carefully examine its insides to detect the problem. After that, they will treat the issue, clean the canals and rebuild the restoration.
If you encounter failure with root canal retreatment, the specialist recommends an apicoectomy. Apicoectomies help remove the tip of the tooth root for replacement with a filling.
If root canals scare you, a failed endodontic therapy will undoubtedly leave you concerned that you will lose your tooth. Fortunately, the specialists have remedies available to restore your tooth when detected early.
Although over 95% of root canals proceed without a hitch, you need to know that root canals can fail. You must keep an eye on the symptoms of root canal failure described in this article. The precaution is not merely for the days soon after the procedure but also later because the process can fail months or years later. Therefore whenever you have excruciating pain, swelling, and discharge, do not hesitate to call Midland dental to ascertain the reasons for the discomfort and get the treatment necessary to save your tooth.
You require root canal treatments only when you leave tooth decay untreated in your mouth until it begins causing pain and sensitivity in your tooth. After undergoing root canal treatment, you must stay informed about the symptoms of root canal failure and watch out for them to ensure you get them treated without delay. Receiving retreatment for the treated tooth is the optimal solution to save it and prevent needing replacement solutions for your existing tooth.
If you need root canal retreatment, please contact Midland Avenue Dental immediately for the procedure.