When a previous root canal goes bad: What to do, causes, and how to fix it
If you're experiencing pain in your teeth and you've had a root canal before, it's possible that the procedure didn't go as well as it should have. Don't worry - you're not alone! Many patients experience problems with their root canals, especially when they may not have been performed by a board certified endodontist like Dr. Nieves. In this blog post, we'll discuss what to do when a previous root canal goes bad and how Dr. Nieves can help fix the problem.
First, what is a root canal?
Root canals (also known as root canal procedures or root canal therapy) are important procedures that remove the infected pulp from your tooth. This pulp is what gives your tooth its blood supply and nerve endings, and when it becomes infected, it can cause a great deal of pain. A successful root canal should relieve this pain and allow you to keep your natural tooth. Dr. Nieves has extensive training in how to treat toot pain as a board certified endodontist.
Why do root canals fail?
There are many reasons why a previous root canal may have failed. The most common reason is that the infection was not completely removed during the initial procedure. Other reasons include:
The original root canal was not performed by a board certified endodontist like Dr. Nieves, who has more training than a typical dentist might have
The root canal was performed on a tooth with multiple roots (molars) - these teeth are more difficult to treat successfully
The root canal was performed on a tooth that had already had a root canal before
The seal between the tooth and the filling material (gutta percha) was not adequate, allowing bacteria to enter and infect the tooth again
What should you do if you're experiencing pain when a root canal goes bad?
If you're experiencing pain from a previous root canal, the first thing you should do is contact your dentist or our office. Dr. Nieves will carefully examine your tooth and take x-rays to determine if the root canal is indeed failing. In fact, one of the best ways to determine if there's an issue with a previous root canal is to use our 3D imaging system, which can find things that a typical x-ray may not be able to find.
Dr. Nieves will study the 3D imaging and discuss with you your treatment options if the previous root canal is bad. If it is, he'll perform what's called a retreatment. This involves removing the filling material from your tooth and cleaning out any remaining infection. Once your tooth is clean and free of infection, Dr. Nieves will seal it with gutta percha and you'll be on your way to a healthy, pain-free smile!
Another great piece of technology we use at Granbury Endodontics is the GentleWave® procedure. It's very likely that your previous root canal was not performed using the GentleWave® procedure, so we'll be sure to use this state-of-the-art technology to clean out your previous root canal and reseal the tooth to protect it for years to come.
What makes the GentleWave® procedure so special? The GentleWave® procedure uses fluid dynamics and multiple acoustic frequencies (read: sound waves) to deeply clean a root canal. This means the best possible clean you can get, meaning there's very little chance there will be tissue that can be reinfected in the future.
How do I take care of my teeth to avoid future root canals?
To avoid problems with root canals in the future, it's important to take good care of your teeth. This includes brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. If you have any questions about root canals or if you think you may need a retreatment, please don't hesitate to contact our office. We can walk you through what to expect before, during and after your root canal and any other questions we can help with.