Frequently Asked Questions about Root Canal Retreatment … Another chance for your failing tooth!
The American Association of Endodontists, of which our own Dr. Darlene Davis is a member, reports that ~ 90% of patients are satisfied with the results of root canal therapy. While RCT has a lengthy and robust track record, no treatment is 100% successful. Pain may persist. The treated tooth can fail to heal. Sometimes, “late” failures occur months or even years after the initial procedure. This is where the expertise of Dr. Davis and our highly skilled and gentle specialty team at Soft Touch Endodontics comes into play. From our well-appointed office in Suwanee, Georgia, endodontic retreatment can heal, preserve, and restore your tooth once and for all.
Why didn’t treatment “take” the first time around?
There are numerous reasons for complications following root canal therapy. For instance, anatomical anomalies may be “missed” and not treated during the initial procedure. These anomalies include narrowed, curved, or additional root canals. Also, the tooth can become reinfected if it is not restored promptly with a crown or other restorations following RCT. Inconsistent oral hygiene may give rise to new decay. Further future damage can also occur when the restoration itself becomes cracked or overly worn, and harmful bacteria are allowed to re-enter the tooth.
How does retreatment differ from “regular” RCT?
Root canal retreatment first involves removing any of the materials that were initially placed to close off the treatment site during your procedure. Then, Dr. Davis uses her considerable advanced training in diagnosing and treating the innermost tooth structure to identify any potential challenges to healing that may have been missed. She is aided in this process by advanced diagnostics. Depending on what she finds, it may be necessary to address additional canals or other complexities involving your root system. Once we have resolved these unique challenges, we ensure any new infection is removed. Fresh filling materials are applied. We encourage the immediate placement of the crown or other restoration as soon as the infection has cleared and the tooth has healed.
Why turn to Soft Touch Endodontics?
We live up to our name. We provide specialty endodontic care in a pleasant and painless manner. By partnering with an endodontist like Dr. Davis from the get-go, the odds of your endodontic treatment being a success — be it initial treatment or retreatment — are maximized. Furthermore, it is a great honor to have so many of our peers in dentistry trust their patients to us. They refer their most complex cases to us, including patients whose teeth fail to heal. We can still save your tooth!
More questions?
Call us! Our office in Suwanee, GA, can be reached at 770-831-7644. Your tooth deserves a soft touch and a second (or third) chance.