What Causes Root Canal Failure

You needroot canal retreatment in Thorton, CO, when you start experiencing symptoms in the same tooth that you had previously treated. Although most root canals eliminate the throbbing pain and inflammation present before the first procedure, a small percentage of people do not recover as expected. If you have had a root canal and the pain lingers for weeks or months afterward, please do not hesitate to contact Colorado Root Canal Specialist.

Factors That Lead to the Need for Root Canal Retreatment

Trauma to the mouth after a root canal can cause the original procedure to fail, as can new tooth decay. Committing to good oral healthcare after your procedure is important since plaque can accumulate in your mouth and cause new decay along your gumline.

Dentists place a crown on the treated tooth at the end of each root canal procedure to protect it from further infection. If the seal is not tight enough between the tooth and the crown, the crown can deteriorate, and bacteria can begin forming underneath it.

Recognizing the Signs of a Failed Root Canal

Ongoing pain is an obvious indicator that something is wrong that requires attention from a dentist. Below are several other signs that your root canal may not have worked.

  • Discharge coming through a small crack in your tooth or your gums
  • Pimple or boil on your jaw
  • Repeated sinus infections
  • Sensitivity to hot and cold foods and beverages
  • Swelling in your jaw, gums, or side of your mouth
  • Tooth discoloration

It is important to have these symptoms evaluated right away to determine the cause of them. Even if root canal failure is not the cause of your symptoms, you still need treatment.

Please reach out to the Colorado Root Canal Specialist with additional questions or to schedule a root canal retreatment in Thornton, CO.

How Does Tooth Pulp Become Infected?

If your dentist has recommended a root canal in Thornton, CO, you may be wondering how your tooth got infected in the first place. You could also need a root canal because a tooth has become badly decayed. In either case, Dr. McBride removes the infected pulp in the tooth and covers it with a dental cap to preserve and strengthen it.

How the Pulp in Your Tooth Becomes Damaged

Inflammation, irritation, and infection of tooth pulp can happen for a variety of reasons. The most common ones include:

  • Cracked or chipped tooth
  • Decay deep within the tooth
  • Having several previous dental procedures performed on the tooth
  • Large fillings
  • Trauma to your face that involves the tooth

You will not develop infected tooth pulp immediately if you have one of these issues. The infection is more likely to develop slowly over time. Severe pain in the affected tooth is usually the first indication that you might need a root canal. Here are some other symptoms you might notice:

  • Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold food or beverages
  • Pimples on your gums
  • Tenderness and swelling of gum tissues
  • The affected tooth is darker than the rest

We urge you to ask your dentist for a referral to Colorado Root Canal Specialist or request your own appointment as soon as you notice any of these symptoms.

Why Prompt Treatment is Essential

Infected tooth pulp breaks down, causing bacteria to grow and multiply within the chamber of your tooth. The bacteria can cause your tooth to form an abscess, which is a painful pocket filled with pus that forms at the root of the tooth. You could also experience bone loss in your teeth and swelling that extends to your face, head, or neck. A root canal prevents these issues and allows you to keep your tooth.

Sources

Root Canal Procedure for Infected Tooth Nerve: Purpose, Procedure, Recovery (webmd.com)

Retreatment for Your Root Canal

When your dental professional performs a root canal to save your tooth, they clean out the inner workings and refill the root canals with a material that’s intended to prevent re-infection. Lastly, the tooth is sealed with a restoration. Usually, this fixes the dental issue, and as long as you continue to brush and floss regularly, you’ll experience no further problems with that tooth. However, sometimes a root canal fails to prevent re-infection. When this happens, your root canal specialist in Thornton, CO, may suggest a procedure called a root canal retreatment.

What Can Cause a Root Canal to Fail?

There are several possible scenarios in which a root canal may fail to protect your tooth. For example:

  • If there was a delay between the original root canal and the placing of the restoration
  • If there is a subsequent injury to the treated tooth
  • If the treated tooth develops a second cavity after treatment
  • If the restoration becomes loose or breaks away
  • If your dentist was unable to reach curved or narrow root canals to clean them thoroughly during your initial procedure

Any one of these possibilities could cause you to need root canal retreatment. If you begin experiencing pain in a tooth previously treated, schedule an appointment to see your dental professional right away before your condition worsens.

What Is a Root Canal Retreatment Procedure?

During your root canal retreatment, your dental professional will perform an oral exam and take diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, to better understand why your initial restoration failed. Afterward, they’ll devise a course of treatment. A root canal retreatment involves removing the initial restoration, re-cleaning and sanitizing the root canals, and re-filling the holes. They’ll also place a new restoration on top to seal the tooth. Ideally, this will fix the issue you’re having with that particular tooth.

If you suspect you may need root canal retreatment in Thornton, CO, call Colorado Root Canal Specialist today. A member of our friendly and experienced team is waiting to take your call. And we’re happy to schedule an appointment that conveniently fits your busy schedule. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and comprehensive oral exam.

What Is a Surgical Root Canal?

Has your dentist in Thornton, CO told you that you need a surgical root canal? If so, you might be wondering what is a surgical root canal and how it’s different from a traditional root canal? Don’t worry, we are going to go over both types of root canals with you, so you understand what is involved and what to expect.

Let’s get started.

What Is a Surgical Root Canal?

When a dentist says the word surgery, that usually instills fear in most people. However, root canal surgery is a fairly simple procedure and something most dentists and oral surgeons do on a regular basis.

With that being said, it’s still surgery, so it does require the use of anesthesia. Using anesthesia will minimize the amount of pain you experience.

A surgical root canal is performed on patients who have infected tooth pulp. The tooth pulp is a crucial part of any tooth, and it consists of blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue.

How Is Root Canal Surgery Performed?

If you need a surgical root canal in Thornton, CO, your dentist will do the following:

  • Oral exam
  • Dental X-Rays
  • Numbing and local anesthesia
  • Remove infected tooth pulp
  • Fill the tooth
  • Finish tooth restoration

These steps will require two or so dental visits and the surgery itself can usually be completed within about three hours. After the procedure is finished, you will be able to go home the same day.

What Is a Non-Surgical Root Canal?

Non-surgical root canals or conventional root canals are more common than surgical root canals. The process is similar to having a filling done except it’s a much deeper, more detailed procedure. This is because the drilling goes much deeper down into the root of your tooth. Here is the process for a non-surgical root canal.

  • Local anesthetic
  • Drill down to the root canal
  • Remove the diseased tooth pulp
  • Clean canal with sodium hypochlorite
  • Fill tooth

Sometimes the dentist might need to reconstruct your tooth by placing a metal post in the tooth canal. Then a temporary crown is installed over your tooth and later removed and replaced with a permanent crown.

What’s Next?

If you want more information about surgical root canals, or if you have questions about other dental issues, please Contact Colorado Root Canal Specialist today. Let us show you how to say goodbye to tooth pain so you can get back to enjoying your life again!

Root Canal FAQ

If you’ve never had a root canal, you may have questions about what the experience is like. If you need a root canal in Thornton CO, knowing what to expect can make the experience overall less scary. In particular, many people who need a root canal want to know whether the experience is painful. The more you know going into the procedure, the better off you are.

Are root canals painful?

Root canals are usually not very painful because the dentist uses local anesthesia to numb the tooth and gums before the root canal takes place. In fact, most people say they experienced little or no pain during their root canal procedure. However, you may be experiencing a lot of pain before the root canal takes place. The faster you get the root canal, the better!

Is it uncomfortable when the procedure is over?

Most people state that if they did experience pain during the root canal, it’s over within about one day of the procedure. If you continue to experience discomfort after your root canal is over, you should talk to your dentist. Your dentist can determine whether something is going wrong.

Can you put off getting a root canal?

Root canals are only necessary when the inside of your tooth has become infected and begun to decay. If you need a root canal, putting it off can lead to further decay, a more severe infection and more pain.

If you put off your root canal, the tooth may become so damaged that it needs to be removed. If you are experiencing severe tooth pain, it’s important to see your root canal specialist in Thornton CO as soon as possible to get your tooth examined.

Are you experiencing severe tooth pain? Need a root canal? Call Colorado Root Canal Specialist

At Colorado Root Canal Specialist, we help patients like you to take care of their teeth when they’re in need of treatment. We perform root canals to help you maintain healthy teeth now and into the future. Call today to make an appointment if you need a root canal.