Sometimes bacteria from saliva may get under the filling material before it is sealed, potentially leading to reinfection. New cavities may later develop due to poor dental hygiene, and this can even happen on teeth where there already was a root canal.
If bacteria in the saliva get under the filling material before the filling is placed, the canal can become reinfected. If the patient doesn't maintain proper oral hygiene, new cavities can form on the same tooth that already received a root canal.
With proper care, even teeth that have had root canal treatment can last a lifetime. But sometimes, a tooth that has been treated doesn't heal properly and can become painful or diseased months or even years after treatment.
A successful root canal procedure is when all the microbes available at the pulp are expelled. However, your tooth is made of tiny root canals, and the tooth's anatomy is complex. Therefore, some microbes might remain after disinfecting the tooth, triggering reinfection.
Once a tooth has a root canal it is brittle because the blood supply to the tooth has been filled in. It's still possible to bite down and crack the root or an existing crack under the crown may grow down the root. This may cause pain when biting down on the crown in certain ways. Sometimes the pain will come and go.
What's more, if you're dealing with an infected root canal, antibiotics really are not going to cut it. In these cases, you'll need to have the bacteria removed, either by root canal treatment or tooth extraction, in order for it to heal.
According to this report, 98 percent of root canals last one year, 92 percent last five years, and 86 percent last ten years or longer. Molars treated by endodontists had a 10 year survival rate, significantly higher than that of molars treated by general dentists.
A dentist can repeat a root canal treatment on a tooth two or more times. While teeth that undergo a root canal procedure can last a lifetime, some of these teeth may not heal properly due to salivary contamination and other reasons.
In most cases, root canal therapy is a better way to treat an infected tooth than an extraction. However, there are exceptions, such as if the tooth has suffered extreme damage. Your dentist will carefully analyze your oral health before making a treatment recommendation.
When we take periodic x-rays of your teeth, we can detect a root canal infection long before it shows any symptoms and becomes serious.
A root canal infection brings severe pain in its wake. The pain intensifies when you bite down or place pressure on the affected tooth. Additionally, you may experience tooth sensitivity when you eat hot or cold food and drinks. The pain can also originate from inflammation of the gums.
Infection Can Spread
For example, if the infection is located in the root of the tooth, it can spread to other teeth and to the jawbone. This would lead to an increase of pain. The worst case of an infection spreading could occur if spread to the brain. If this occurs, it could lead to death.
If left untreated, an abscess may form. If the infected tissue is not removed, pain and swelling can result. This can not only injure your jawbones, but it is detrimental to your overall health. Without the proper treatment, your tooth may have to be removed.
A root canal infection will never go away on its own. An untreated root canal infection can severely comprise that tooth and can even lead to a systemic infection, especially in those people with weakened immune systems.
It can potentially take several months for a dental abscess to develop. Once an abscess has formed, noticeable pain and swelling around the affected tooth usually occur. If left untreated, it may take a few more weeks or months for the infection to spread to other tissues and cause complications.
If you start experiencing signs of root canal failure like pain, swelling, discharge, or a boil on your gumline that won't go away. It's important to seek treatment.
How many dental visits does a patient need for root canal therapy? Two visits for most patients. The first visit is when the actual procedure will be performed and the second visit is when the patient will undergo necessary tooth restoration.
Cracks in the Root
The roots may fracture or fissure deep within the gum which makes it difficult to fully seal the root canal during your procedure. This opens up the possibility of infection, increased sensitivity, and pain. In each of these cases, you may require a second root canal or dental implant.
As mentioned above, only about five percent of root canals fail, and sometimes it is not actually a “failure.” In cases, of teeth that have more than one root, it is possible that only one root was infected and filled.
What is the Typical Age for Root Canal Treatment? There is no specific age for root canal treatment. If any individual is experiencing a severe tooth infection, they may require root canal therapy in Yellowknife. However, it is more likely for an individual to require root canal therapy between the ages of 12 to 65.
What happens after? A root canal often weakens the outer tooth. Because a big part of the tooth's structure is removed during a root canal, the outer tooth is likely to crumble if it is not reinforced with a crown.
The most common endodontic surgical procedure is an apicoectomy, or root-end resection. This procedure relieves the inflammation or infection in the bony area around the end of your tooth. In this procedure, the gum tissue is opened, the infected tissue is removed, and sometimes the very end of the root is removed.
Leaving an infection to spread to your facial bones may eventually necessitate surgical removal to stop it. Even in minor cases, a tooth infection can cause the bone structures of your jaw to weaken, making it hard to support your teeth.