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Endodontic Retreatment

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Endodontic Retreatment

With the appropriate care, your teeth that have had endodontic treatment will last as long as other natural teeth. Yet, a tooth that has received treatment may fail to heal or pain may continue to exist. Sometimes, the pain may occur months or years after treatment. If so, Endodontic Retreatment may be needed.

Improper healing may be caused by:

  • Curved or narrow canals that were not treated during the initial treatment.
  • Complicated canals that went undetected during the initial treatment.
  • The crown or restoration was not placed within the appropriate amount of time following the procedure.
  • The crown or restoration that did not prevent saliva from contaminating the inside of the tooth.

Procedure

3D illustration of human teeth showing internal nerve and blood vessels against a black background

Inflamed Tissue

3D illustration of a root canal treatment procedure on a molar tooth showing nerves and tools.

Filling Removed

3D illustration of root canal treatment showing dental file cleaning inside a tooth root canal.

Canals Cleaned

Cross-section of human teeth showing internal root canal anatomy and surrounding nerves and vessels.

Root Material Placed

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Filling Restored

3D illustration of human teeth and nerves showing dental roots and surrounding anatomy on black background

Healed Tooth

In some cases, new problems can influence a tooth that was successfully treated:

  • New decay can expose a root canal filling material, causing infection.
  • A cracked or loose filling or crown can expose the tooth to new infection.

Once retreatment has been selected as a solution to your problem, the doctors will reopen your tooth to gain access to the root canal filling material. This restorative material will be removed to enable access to the root canal. The doctors will now clean your canals and carefully examine the inside of the problematic tooth. Once cleaned, the doctors will fill and seal the canals and place a temporary filling in the tooth.

At this point, you will need to return to your dentist as soon as possible in order to have a new crown or restoration placed on the tooth to restore full functionality.

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Procedures

Today's advanced endodontic treatments and materials can give you a healthier, more complete smile that can last you a lifetime.
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Patient Registration

You may print and fill them out our New Patient forms before coming to our office.
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Endodontic FAQ

Endodontics is a branch of dentistry recognized by the American Dental Association involving treatment of the pulp (root canal) and surrounding tissues of the tooth.