Root Canal Retreatment

The process of renewing root canal treatment begins with the removal of the old root canal filling materials. Then, the canals are irrigated with various solutions to eliminate bacteria and infection, dried, and special medications are placed inside, followed by temporary filling material to seal the access. The patient is seen again after about a week to ten days for pain and infection control. If the infection persists, the process of irrigation and medication placement continues for a while. Once the infection is resolved, the canals are irrigated, dried, filled with canal filling materials, and sealed with permanent filling material to complete the procedure.

Why is Root Canal Treatment Renewed?

Root canal treatment is a last resort for saving a tooth from extraction. Therefore, it is crucial that root canal treatment is performed carefully and effectively. Despite the loss of vitality, a tooth treated with root canal therapy continues to function within the oral cavity.

Root canal treatment, like other treatments, does not guarantee a hundred percent success rate. Even with good oral hygiene and well-performed root canal treatments, problems can occasionally arise.

There can be several reasons for the failure of root canal treatment. Differences in the morphological structures of the root canals, the presence of lateral canals and the inability to completely eliminate bacteria from these areas, instrument fracture during root canal treatment, procedural errors made unintentionally, failure to reach adequate depth with canal filling, perforation of the root or canal, extrusion of canal filling materials beyond the root apex, and improper filling of the tooth can all lead to treatment failure. These reasons may necessitate the renewal of root canal treatment.

Does a Tooth Treated with Root Canal Therapy Cause Pain?

If root canal treatment is newly performed, some discomfort is normal for a while. The materials filled into the root canals may create a sense of pressure. However, this discomfort is temporary and lasts for a maximum of about ten days. Afterwards, a tooth treated with root canal therapy should not cause any pain under normal circumstances. This is because the nerves in the tooth have been removed, rendering it non-vital.

If a tooth treated with root canal therapy causes pain, it indicates an unresolved infection. An infection developed at the root apex can stimulate the nerves inside the bone, resulting in pain. This pain can range from mild to severe and acute. It is certain that this condition is not temporary and will cause problems again after a while. In such a case, either the root canal treatment is renewed or the tooth is extracted. The earlier the intervention, the higher the chance of saving the tooth.

Will I Experience Pain During Root Canal Treatment Renewal?

Despite being a non-vital tooth, it is important to administer local anesthesia to numb the surrounding bone tissue before starting the procedures for root canal treatment renewal. This is crucial because the problem largely arises from an infection in this area, and the patient may feel discomfort without anesthesia.

Since the procedure is performed under local anesthesia, the patient does not feel any pain during the renewal of root canal treatment. The procedures for root canal treatment and its renewal are similar. The only difference is the removal of old canal filling materials during the renewal process.