Retreatment is necessary when bacteria have re-entered
the tooth. This is usually due to decay or untreated
canal areas. 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.
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 usually restored within a couple of weeks.
If your existing crown can be saved, then you will need
to have it repaired. If you do not have a crown, it
will probably be recommended.
With time, the bone will heal where the bacteria was
removed.
