A root canal can last you a lifetime with proper care. However, sometimes a tooth might not heal the way you wanted, prompting you to go for retreatment. For instance, a broken filling or crown may allow bacteria to permeate your tooth, contaminating it. In such cases, Brooklyn endodontic re-treatment might be recommended.
What does retreatment entail?
Before the treatment begins, your endodontist will remove the crown to access the filling material. The medical professional will then remove the material and clean the canals. Using unique magnification and lighting equipment, your dentist will look into your tooth pocket for extra canals or an infection that might need treatment. After cleaning and reshaping your canals, the healthcare provider will restore them. However, your dentist will evaluate your canals before the restoration process to see if they are narrow and impassable. When the whole cleaning and refilling process is over, the endodontist will place a temporary filling to protect your tooth from bacterial infections.
Why would you need endodontic retreatment?
A root canal treatment can serve you for a lifetime if you take proper care of the treated tooth. Unfortunately, sometimes retreatment might be the only option your tooth has to function fully. Though retreatment is unusual, your dentist might recommend a second process on your tooth if he notes that it has not healed as expected. Your tooth might not heal because of reasons like:
- Delayed restoration placement after an endodontic treatment
- Your dentist did not notice unusual canal anatomy during your initial treatment
- The crown or filling was not fit enough to prevent saliva from contaminating the tooth
- Failure to treat narrow or impassable canals in the previous procedure
In other instances, a new problem may minimize the chances of successful treatment. For instance:
- Tooth fracture
- A broken, loose. or cracked filling or crown that exposes your tooth to new infections
Not everyone is suitable for retreatment. If the process is not your best option, your endodontist might recommend a surgical procedure. During surgery, the medical professional will make an incision near the tip of the root to eliminate the infected parts surgically (apicoectomy). In instances that surgery and retreatment fail to be effective, an extraction might be your only option.
What should you expect during recovery?
Since every recovery journey is different, your dentist might give you personalized instructions to follow after the treatment. Tooth sensitivity is expected, after the first few days of treatment, especially if you had an infection before. The medical professional may also recommend pain relievers to help minimize the discomfort you are likely to feel, thanks to inflammation of the tissue. Vigorous brushing around the sensitive tooth might be a prohibition, especially if you had an endodontic surgery. Your dentist may also advise you not to use the tooth to chew hard foods like ice.
An endodontic retreatment is an option your dentist might suggest if you want to preserve your natural tooth. Discuss your options with your endodontist to know your chances of success before committing to the treatment.
Johnson