Endodontic Retreatment

Sometimes a tooth that has had a previous root canal,  may fail to heal or pain may continue to exist. Sometimes, the pain may occur months or years after treatment. If so, Endodontic Retreatment may be needed.

Improper healing may be caused by:

  • Curved or narrow canals that were not treated during the initial treatment.
  • Complicated canals that 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 is leaking causing the root canal to become infected.
An example of a tooth with inflamed tissue
Inflamed Tissue
A visual of removing fillings from a tooth
Filling Removed
A representation of a tooth with its canals cleaned
Canals Cleaned
An illustration of new root filling material placed into a tooth's canals
Root Material Placed
An example of a tooth's filling restored by new root canal filling
Filling Restored
A representation of a fully healed tooth by new root canal filling placed
Healed Tooth

In some cases, new problems can cause  a tooth that was successfully treated to need additional or repeated treatment:

  • New decay can expose a root canal filling material, causing infection.
  • A cracked or loose filling or crown can expose the tooth to 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 doctor will now clean  and sterilize the inside of your tooth. Once cleaned, the doctor will fill and seal the canals.

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 function. Your doctor will advise you if replacement of your crown or filling is necessary.