One of our most commonly performed operations at Integrative Endodontics is root canal retreatment. Rest assured, if you end up needing our endodontists to retreat the root canal system in your tooth, you are not alone. Many of our patients first come to us due to a failed RCT or, more specifically, an infected root canal, from a previous treatment performed by another health care provider. We are here to provide a successful retreatment and help you feel at ease about the process.
Many of our patients find us while seeking proper care after they have experienced failure of their initial root canal procedure. However, sometimes patients come to us after multiple failed treatments. We usually recommend using advanced irrigation techniques in another non-surgical retreatment procedure before considering other options, such as endodontic microsurgery.
Our expert doctors and staff are extremely skilled and are ready to assist, even if you may feel discouraged from your past experiences in the dental chair. With our advanced techniques, we do as much as possible to preserve each tooth’s integrity. Our board-certified endodontists use a critical eye to discern whether retreatment is necessary, evaluating in-depth 3D dental imaging of your tooth.
You are welcome to request a CBCT scan appointment on its own or schedule a complete consultation, please contact us.
Excellent Outcomes at Integrative Endodontics
Thanks to the advanced irrigation technology we use, our patients have excellent outcomes.
Thoroughly cleaning the root canal of your tooth is crucial to not only your dental health but your whole-body wellness. Integrative Endodontics is dedicated to your long-term well-being, and we choose the technology and techniques to best protect and support it.
Root Canal Retreatment
FAQs
Although each person’s body is unique, one possibility is the cleaning process during your original root canal therapy. When a dentist or endodontist performs an RCT (root canal treatment) without advanced cleaning technology, bacteria and biofilms may persist and develop over time. Because there is no longer a live nerve inside the tooth, a patient may not feel pain until the bacterial infection has spread to where other nerves sense it, such as in their jaw. Learn more on our Root Canal Infection page.
An additional aspect of a root canal infection years later is the material used to “pack” the root canal after treatment. At Integrative Endodontics, we use bioceramic materials that are designed to expand slightly, sealing any gaps. However, traditional root canal treatments often use materials that tend to shrink over time. The empty space left inside the tooth has the potential to harbor bacteria, whereas a tight seal with bioceramic material helps to reduce that risk.
Our doctors are experts in retreating a root canal with an infection. If you had a root canal treatment and are now encountering root canal problems years later, please reach out to our office for a consultation →
Usually, our patients return to everyday activities the same day as their root canal retreatment. On that same day, patients can often brush and eat as they typically would.
Integrative Endodontics suggests that their patients focus on eating whole, healthy foods, drinking plenty of water, and taking recommended supplements following their procedure. Learn more in our resource library →
You may feel a mild soreness around the treated area, which our patients compare to feeling slightly bruised. We ask our patients to stay mindful of utilizing the tooth, and we also request they chew carefully to ensure they’re comfortable.
Directly after their retreatment, our patients almost always leave with the tooth in a stable condition with a permanent filling in place. In this condition, they are able to use their tooth comfortably.
Most people feel great right away, and fewer people have a day or two to a week of soreness.
From our perspective at Integrative Endodontics, a root canal failure may signal micronutrient deficiencies or other health issues that are not obvious on the surface.
To serve our patients’ health to our best ability, we utilize various labs to screen for obstacles to optimal health. In addition to recommending specific laboratory analyses for each patient, we provide a toolbox of “wholistic” support through our integrative services. Working with local Los Angeles integrative doctors, we may suggest a practitioner who can help you continue your healing journey.
