Re-infected Root Canal: Why It Happened and What to Do

You can have a re-infected root canal if the tooth has previously been treated. This infection can occur weeks or months after the initial root canal treatment. Getting proper treatment as soon as possible is essential to prevent reinfection. However, if you wait, the infection may worsen, requiring further treatment. Infections of the root canal may spread to neighboring teeth, gums, tongue, throat, stomach, or bloodstream. Sometimes they even reach the brain and bloodstream. This is when it is critical to get immediate treatment. It’s important to visit Dr. Julie Kennedy’s dental care immediately if you think you have re-infected your root canal. Early diagnosis and treatment of an infected canal can often save the tooth and eliminate any pain it causes.

What Are the Re-Infected Root Canal Causes?

The primary cause of reinfection is not tooth decay but rather an undetected root canal. If you have multiple canals that are not removed during the first procedure, reinfection may occur, and you will need a root canal treatment near you.

A worn or weak dental filling can allow bacteria to sneak into the tooth, and this will cause an infection. You must visit a dentist in Palm Beach when you notice sensitivity, swelling, or pain. Poor oral hygiene can affect the teeth and cause a reinfection.

What are the Symptoms of a Re-Infected Root Canal?

• Inflammation

Inflammation and reinfection often go hand in hand after a root canal treatment. Swelling near the treated tooth is a definite sign of reinfection. It can even spread to the face and neck. If you notice these symptoms, contact your dentist at 33480 immediately for treatment.

• Pain

Pain is a telltale sign of a re-infected root canal, whether mild or severe. You may feel pain while chewing, eating, or applying pressure to the tooth. If you leave the pain untreated, it will likely worsen and become unbearable. The tooth may also have pus oozing out from its root, which can be green, yellow, or colorless. Similarly, you may notice swelling in the face and gums, a sign of infection.

• Tooth sensitivity

The tooth sensitivity is an early sign of a possible infection in the tooth. Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, sweets, or acidic foods indicates that there may be bacteria in the tooth and, if not treated, can lead to reinfection in the root canal.

The main symptom of tooth sensitivity is a pain when eating or drinking something hot or cold, sweet, or acidic. The pain may be mild to severe, but it should not last more than 20 minutes after eating or drinking something that triggers it. Either nerve damage causes tooth sensitivity due to decay, trauma, caries; pulpitis; or periapical lesions.

What to Do If You Have a Re-Infected Root Canal

A general dental office in Palm Beach is a good place to start looking for treatment options for re-infected root canals. Your dentist will examine the teeth and possibly refer you to an endodontist. While general dentists can perform root canal treatments, endodontists are trained to perform these. They can help prevent infection, prevent jawbone damage, and remove the tooth if it is not healthy enough. In addition, root canal treatments are considered extremely safe and have a high success rate of ninety percent or more.

How an Endodontist Treats a Re-Infected Root Canal?

Re-infected root canals are treated with surgical and retreatment options. A root canal is completed during the treatment to eliminate any remaining infection and restore a healthy tooth.

Treatment for a re-infected root canal begins with numbing the area around the infected tooth and a protective barrier on the gums. Next, the dentist will remove infected tissue from the root canal. Gutta-percha is then refilled into the canals and sealed. A new filling will be placed in the space, then covered with an enamel crown.

Schedule an Appointment

Visit Mitchell a Josephs DDS in Palm Beach for more information about re-infected root canal and what you can do about it.