If you have had an infection and received a root canal, but your tooth begins to hurt again, then you should see our team. A retreatment may be needed to help stop pain and avoid the risk of tooth loss. In today’s blog, your Londonderry, NH, dentist talks about helping your smile with retreatment.
When Teeth Need a Retreatment
If you have had a root canal done at another practice in the past, and your tooth begins to ache once again, this could mean that an infection has occurred. This could be due to contamination in the tooth during the original treatment process, or due to metal restorations expanding or contracting with time. To prevent the loss of the tooth and the spread of an infection, you need to see our team for retreatment, so we can redo the root canal and stop discomfort, while also protecting you from tooth loss!
The Process of Redoing a Root Canal
To preserve your tooth, we will take digital images to see the interior of the tooth and plan treatment in detail. We then numb the tooth to ensure you are comfortable as we open it and remove the original filling metal from within. Our team will add an antibiotic known as calcium hydroxide to the side of the tooth and seal the tooth temporarily. The medication destroys harmful bacteria and when you return to the office, we will remove the material, clean the inside of the tooth thoroughly and add a special filling material. The last step is to cap the tooth with a custom crown, one that will look and blend with your smile, and one that will bond with the remaining structure and protect it from further decay or infection. For some, we may need to conduct surgery to address serious inflammation in interior tissues.
Ensuring Your Comfort
As we mentioned above, we always take time to ensure your treatment experience is a positive one. Our team can numb the area directly with a local anesthesia. We can also offer sedation to help you enter a deep state of calm and relaxation, often with little to no memory of the process at all. We can also discuss ways to change your oral hygiene routine to prevent cavities and infections, and can follow-up with routine checkups and cleanings every few months to keep a close eye on your smile!
If you have any questions about root canal retreatment or if you have pain in a tooth that needs attention, then contact our team today.
Do You Have a Tooth That Needs Treatment?
Retreatment could stop pain and prevent your tooth from being lost. Contact My Dentist in Londonderry, NH at (603) 965-3407 to speak with our team and schedule your next visit.
