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Endodontic Retreatment

With proper care, the teeth that have had the root canal treatment last for a lifetime. In a small percentage of cases the initial root canal treatment can fail due to various reasons and causing pain and disease to return months or even years after initial root canal treatment.. If this happens to your treated tooth you have a second chance to save the tooth with a procedure called retreatment. In many of these cases retreatment will help diminish pain and discomfort and promote healing.

The following are some of the causes for the failure of the initial root canal treatment.

  • The placement of a crown or permanent restoration was delayed after initial treatment
  • If all the all root canals were not treated during initial root canal treatment
  • Atypical anatomy that wasn’t completely addressed during initial treatment
  • New decay causing the contamination of the initial root canal filling

If retreatment is necessary Dr. Malyala, will administer local anesthesia to get your tooth profoundly numb. While working under a microscope (which provided superior magnification and lighting) he will make a hole in the biting surface of the tooth to gain access to the old root canal filling material. Once the previous root canal filling is removed the inside of the tooth will be explored for cracks and root canals that weren’t treated during the initial treatment. If there are no cracks Dr. Malyala will reclean the root clean and shape the root canals. We use state of the art GentleWave technology in our office that not only disinfects the root canals thoroughly but also minimizes the postoperative discomfort. Once cleaned and shaped the root canals will be refilled and a temporary will be placed over the root canal filling to protect the tooth from contamination.

After treatment with Dr. Malyala, you need to return to your dentist to have a crown or permanent restoration placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function. Dr. Malyala will send a report of your treatment to your general dentist to keep them informed of the treatment completed at our office.

Saving the teeth with root canal treatment has advantages of maintaining the chewing efficiency, natural appearance and health of adjacent teeth.

Do I feel pain during retreatment?
Local anesthesia will be administered so you will not feel any pain during the procedure. You may have mild discomfort for a few days after the procedure. The state of the art GentleWave procedure that we use in our office not only disinfects the root canals thoroughly, it is known to minimize the postoperative discomfort.
How do you know if you need a retreatment?
The following are some indications for retreatment.
  • Sensitivity to hot and cold in a previously root canal treated tooth
  • Pain while biting or chewing
  • Swollen or tender gums
  • Pimple-like bump on the gum near the tooth
Can I go to school or work after getting retreatment?
Most patients can return to school or work directly following root canal treatment.