With proper care, teeth that have undergone endodontic treatment will have the same durability as other natural teeth.
However, a treated tooth may not always heal correctly, which can cause continued pain. Below you can read why sometimes a tooth does not heal properly.
Sometimes pain appears months or even years after treatment, in which case endodontic retreatment is required.
In this week’s Dental Center 4Smile blog, learn what tooth retreatment is, and when and why it is needed. As always, we believe that by educating yourself about dental procedures, you will gain a better understanding of dentistry and overcome your fear of the dentist!
WHEN IS ENDODONTIC TOOTH RETREATMENT NEEDED?
The term “tooth retreatment” is most often encountered in endodontic procedures, during the placement of ceramic dental crowns.
Another case is if an X-ray taken at Dental Center 4Smile shows a granuloma or visibly incorrect root canal filling.
In short, a granuloma forms around the root of a tooth, preventing bacteria from spreading further into the bloodstream.
If you suspect a granuloma, common symptoms include pain when biting and a purulent fistula on the surrounding gum.
It is important to know that no improperly treated tooth can be subjected to further dental procedures (such as ceramic dental crowns).
Because, even if it does not cause problems now, it may cause inflammation in the future!
To treat inflammation, dentist Ivan Antolković will treat the root canal using mechanical endodontics.
In endodontics, canal retreatment is carried out after general procedures such as tartar cleaning and cavity removal.
Besides eliminating the cause of inflammation around the dental nerve space. Endodontics also prevents infection around the tip of the tooth root.
WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR UNSUCCESSFUL TOOTH TREATMENT?
If the initial root canal treatment was not performed correctly, retreatment of the root canal filling is necessary.
Thus, dentist in Zagreb Ivan Antolković will repeat the treatment process if the previous root canal therapy was unsuccessful.
Initial treatment is considered unsuccessful if not all root canals were filled to the apex or all bacteria were not eliminated.
It means leaving bacteria inside the canal or the tissue surrounding the tooth root.
Unsuccessful treatment occurs due to:
- Curved or narrow canals that were not treated during the initial procedure, or complicated canals that remained undetected.
- Conservative treatment of root canals (manual endodontics with cold filling): unfortunately, this is not always effective for treating narrow and curved canals.
- Difficulty accessing the canal due to its curved shape, making it inaccessible to manual dental instruments.
- Incomplete treatment, which makes it difficult to ensure the canal is fully cleaned of bacteria.
- If a dental crown or dental filling is not placed within the appropriate time after the procedure:
– It is essential that dental crowns and dental fillings are placed promptly to maintain sterility inside the tooth.
– Sterility prevents bacteria buildup, which could later cause problems in a sealed tooth.
- If a dental crown or dental filling does not prevent saliva from contaminating the tooth interior:
– Preventing saliva and air from entering a treated tooth is crucial to avoid bacterial contamination.
– Saliva can also cause a filling or crown to fit improperly.
It is also important to note that, over time, the material used to fill a tooth weakens.
A cracked or loose crown or filling often exposes the tooth to infection.
Therefore, if you notice your filling is worn out or your crown is loose, immediately contact your trusted dentist in Zagreb, Dr. Ivan Antolković.
MECHANICAL ENDODONTICS
During root canal treatment, it is extremely important that the canals are fully processed and treated to prevent infection.
That’s why at Dental Center 4Smile we use mechanical endodontics with cold or warm fillings that harden afterward.
Mechanical endodontics provides:
- Safety – the tip of the mechanical instruments cannot perforate the dentin wall, and the instruments lie passively in the canal, eliminating the risk of breakage.
- Thoroughness – the rotating instrument removes infected dentin from all canal walls with a brushing motion, unlike manual instruments that rotate fully and treat only the center of the canal.
- Minimal invasiveness – no unnecessary or excessive loss of dentin.
- Comfort – painless and quickly completed root canal treatment.
TOOTH RETREATMENT PROCEDURE
In the retreatment procedure, dentist Ivan Antolković will reopen the tooth to access the root canal filling material.
Then, he will remove the restorative material from the previous treatment to access the canal.
The next step is a detailed examination of the tooth’s interior and cleaning of the canal.
After cleaning, Dr. Antolković will fill the canal using mechanical endodontics, check the filling with a digital X-ray, and seal it.
The final important step is placing a filling (dental composite) to repair the tooth crown or restore the base for a new ceramic dental crown.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER ROOT CANAL RETREATMENT?
After the root canal repair, the tooth does not yet have full functionality.
It is important that, if everything is not completed in one visit, you return to your dentist as soon as possible.
For successful treatment, your tooth needs a new ceramic crown or a new composite filling to restore full functionality.
This also prevents reinfection of the root canal or possible vertical tooth fracture.
In the worst case, avoiding follow-up therapy may lead to the need for another root canal repair – or even tooth loss!
A free check-up at Dental Center 4Smile can help you find out whether retreatment is needed, so you can save your tooth in time.
Your dentist Ivan Antolković in Zagreb, Europe, will make sure to heal any tooth in distress, no matter the dental issue!
