My tooth had root canal treatment but it is still infected. Is it hopeless?

In many cases, the answer is no.  Dr. Rick Davis and Dr. Rick Schwartz spend about ⅓ of their time retreating teeth that had previous root canal treatment by other dentists.  In most cases they can redo the procedure and save the tooth.  

When performed properly, root canal treatment has a very high success rate.  Unfortunately, some root canal procedures are not performed properly resulting in ongoing infection, pain and sometimes swelling.  In some cases complications are not evident for months or even years after the procedure is performed.   

What to Expect

If you think one of your teeth has  failing root canal treatment, we will evaluate your teeth with x-rays and perform a few simple tests.  We will probably also perform a 3D scan.  Once we are sure we have identified the right tooth and have diagnosed the problem, we will present you with possible options.  These may include no treatment, retreatment, apicoectomy (surgery on the root ends) or extraction.  We will discuss the pros and cons of each option and provide you with the cost.  We will give you our opinion of the best course of action, but we want you to make the final decision.

If you elect retreatment, we will numb your tooth completely, isolate the tooth with a thin rubber sheet known as a rubber dam, and then access the root canal system through a small hole in the biting surface of your tooth.  If the tooth has a crown we will make a small hole in it to perform the procedure. Once into the root canal system we will remove the old root canal fillings, clean and flush out the tooth with the aid of a laser or GenteWave  technology, then seal the canals and place a permanent filling on the outside.  Sometimes this procedure can be completed in one visit, but sometimes it takes two visits.

Dr. Davis and Dr. Schwartz generally receive referrals from about a 3 hour radius, but sometimes from other parts of the state and occasionally other parts of the country.  At Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio, we are privileged to support the oral health needs of individuals from such disparate communities as Uvalde, Leaky, Boerne, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Laredo, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Spring Branch, Yorktown, Cuero, and beyond.  Patients, other dental professionals, including other endodontists, travel great distances to receive their care at our nationally and internationally known practice.  If you would like to receive care from the doctors’ doctors, call our office at (210) 405-0473 to request an appointment with Drs. Davis or Schwartz.

Share this Article