Non-Surgical root Canal
If you have a tooth that has had endodontic (root canal) treatment, it can last as long as your natural teeth. In some cases, however, the tooth can become re-infected.
This can happen for months or years after your original treatment. In some cases, the root canal can be redone with endodontic re-treatment.
It is a very viable alternative to tooth removal. This treatment can save your natural teeth and prevent the need for dental implants or bridges.
Most common signs that a person might need a root canal:
- Severe pain
- Prolonged sensitivity to heat or cold
- Tenderness to touch
- Difficulty chewing
- Tooth discoloration
- Swelling of the gums
- Drainage of the gums
- Tenderness in the lymph nodes
- Gum and/or tooth disease
If you do experience symptoms, your dentist may recommend non-surgical treatment to eliminate the injured pulp.
The relative difficulty in removing gutta percha varies according to the obturation technique previously employed and further influenced by the canal’s length, cross-sectional dimension, curvature, and internal configuration.
Regardless of technique, gutta percha is best removed from a root canal
in a progressive manner to prevent inadvertent displacement
of irritants periapically.
Dividing the root into thirds, gutta percha may be initially removed from the canal in the coronal one-third, then the middle one-third, and finally eliminated from the apical one-third.
The pulp is removed and the root canal system is thoroughly cleaned and sealed down to the end of the root with a material called gutta percha. This therapy is usually performed under local anesthesia and completed in one visit.
Endodontic (root canal) retreatment may be needed when root canal treatment of a tooth fails to heal or when pain continues due to multiple factors. Sometimes the pain may occur months or years after treatment.
Root canal re-treatment- With the appropriate care, your teeth that have had endodontist 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 depending on multiple factors. Sometimes, the pain may occur months or years after treatment. If so, Non-Surgical Root Canal Re-treatment may be needed.
Improper tooth healing after a root canal may be caused by:
- Curved or narrow canals were not treated during the initial treatment
- Complicated and tortuous canals 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 did not prevent saliva and bacteria from contaminating the inside of the 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 a new infection.
- Once retreatment has been selected as a solution to your problem, the doctor 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 doctor 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 and ensure a greater chance of success.
What to expect after a root canal: For the first few days after the root canal the tooth may feel sensitive, especially if there was pain before the procedure. Any such sensitivity or discomfort is typically controlled with over-the-counter pain medications. Most patients return to their normal activities the day after the operation and will gain full, pain-free use of their tooth moving forward!