Retreatment is necessary when bacteria have re-entered
the tooth. This is usually due to bacterial invasion
through decay or a leaking filling. The patient may
experience swelling or pain in chewing.
Sometimes a patient may have no symptoms, but an x-ray
shows that there is a problem with a tooth that has
previously undergone root canal therapy.
What Happens During Root Canal Retreatment?
Step one:
After the tooth is "numbed," the canal system
will be reopened to remove the previous root canal material.
This may involve removing a crown, post and core material.
Sometimes we are able to make a small hole in the existing
restoration and work through that opening. The canals
are then thoroughly cleansed and shaped along their
entire length.
Step two:
The canals are refilled with gutta-percha and the opening
is sealed with a sterile cotton pellet and a temporary
filling.
Step three:
The tooth is restored within a couple of weeks. If
your existing crown can be saved, then it will be repaired.
If not, you will probably need a new crown.
With time, the bone will heal where the bacteria was
removed.
