Root Canal Retreatment

The Next Generation Of Root Canal Care

Why Endodontic Retreatment?

According to research, natural teeth receiving root canal therapy and appropriate follow-up care have a 95 percent chance of lasting as long as other natural teeth. Some root canals, however, do not provide the long term solution we hoped for – the tooth may fail to completely heal, or pain may not resolve and remain present. In some cases, infections in dental pulp can reappear months or years later.

At Phoenix Endodontic Group, we utilize advanced technology and provide exceptional patient care for root canal retreatments. We’re Arizona’s root canal experts because we’ve treated thousands of patients, and we understand that a retreatment can offer a “second chance” at successfully saving a natural tooth.

Why Root Canals Fail

Initial root canal treatment can fail because the natural tooth heals improperly or because the tooth encounters new problems later. Some of the ways that root canals can fail to heal include:

Curved or narrow canals were not treated during the initial treatment.
Canals with unusual anatomy went undetected during the initial treatment.
The crown or restoration was not placed in a timely manner following the procedure. (This one is entirely patient-controlled!)
The crown or restoration did not prevent saliva from contaminating the inside of the tooth.

In some cases, a tooth that was successfully treated will encounter new problems later. For example, new decay can expose root canal filling material, which may cause infection. A cracked or loose filling or crown can expose the tooth to new infection, as well.

How An Endodontic Retreatment Works

To begin, our endodontists will conduct a thorough exam, using CBCT imaging to precisely determine the source and cause of the discomfort. Once root canal retreatment has been selected as the solution to the problem, the restorative crown or filling will be removed to enable access to the root canals. The doctors will then clean and irrigate your canals and carefully examine the inside of the problematic tooth to ensure they’ve resolved the issue. Once the canals have been cleaned, the doctors will fill and seal them and place a temporary filling in the tooth.

Following your root canal retreatment, you may need to return to your general dentist promptly to have a new permanent crown or restoration placed on the tooth to protect it from further infection and ensure it has the needed structural support to last for years.

Learn More

See this video for more information about root canal retreatments and additional endodontic techniques, including surgery, that can help save your natural tooth.

➔ Watch this brief video