The specialists at Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio have advanced training in nonsurgical root canal therapy. Dr. Rick Schwartz, Dr. Rick Davis, and Dr. Zac Liang are trained to provide surgical endodontic treatment. They can even preserve teeth that have been treated at other dentist’s offices.
Root canal therapy has a high success rate. However, the symptoms of infection may persist. Our specialists provide retreatment options. They can successfully treat a tooth that has failed to heal following the initial procedure or that sustains more damage in the future.
Signs your tooth may need to be retreated
Root canals inside the tooth contain blood vessels, nerves, and other tissues. These tissues may become damaged or infected due to bacteria. Symptoms of infections include:
- Sensitive teeth
- Severe toothaches (wakes you up at night)
- Jarring pain when biting down
- Discoloration
- Abscesses or pockets of pus
- Swollen, dusky gums
- Tender gums
- Facial swelling
- Salty, fluid taste
- Swelling of lymph nodes under the jaw or neck
- Throbbing in the jawbone and neck
Patients with untreated infections may run a fever. They can experience problems with swallowing and breathing. Infections can spread to other parts of the body. Untreated infections are also associated with severe systemic diseases. It is essential to treat the underlying condition once and for all.
Candidates for retreatment
Patients who undergo root canal retreatment may experience many familiar symptoms. They could continue to experience the sensitivity, pain, swelling, and other signs of persistent infection mentioned above. Specialty care may be necessary to treat narrow or curved canals that were overlooked or not treated adequately during the initial procedure. Likewise, a restoration, such as a dental crown, can become damaged or worn over time. Old or cracked crowns allow harmful bacteria to re-enter and contaminate the root canals.
Additionally, it is essential for all root canal patients to restore their teeth with crowns promptly. These restorations are needed to protect the treated tooth. They also strengthen teeth weakened due to fractures, decay, and other trauma. Failure to restore promptly and properly is associated with reinfection and needing further treatment or retreatment.
Contact Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio if your tooth is not healing properly or if a treated tooth has sustained damage and wear. Call (210) 405-0473 to schedule an appointment at our office in San Antonio, TX today.
Dr. Richard Davis, DDS
Richard D. Davis, DDS, graduated from high school in Japan, attended the
University of Washington dental school, and joined the Air Force as a general dentist in 1978. He completed the Air Force one-year AEGD residency, a two-year Advanced General Dentistry Residency, and a fellowship in biomaterials at the
University of Indiana. Dr. Davis was a clinical instructor, research director, and lecturer at the Air Force. He has published many scientific articles and research papers, and has lectured on many topics. Following retirement from the Air Force in 1999, he completed the graduate program in endodontics at the
University of Oregon in 2001, and joined Dr. Schwartz and has been in private practice in endodontics since then.
Dr. Richard Schwartz, DDS
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Richard S. Schwartz, DDS, graduated from the
University of Minnesota dental school in 1977. He was a restorative dentist for 19 years: Early in his career, he attended a two-year general dentistry residency while in the US Air Force, and then did a combination of private practice, teaching, and dental materials research before entering endodontic post-graduate training in 1996. He has authored over 100 articles and abstracts in scientific journals and lectured extensively in the US and in 21 other countries, including 12 times at the American Association of Endodontists’ national meeting. Since 1998 Dr. Schwartz has been in full-time private practice in endodontics in San Antonio, TX, and has practiced with Dr. Davis since 2001. He was a founding member and first secretary/treasurer of the
International Association of Endodontics. He is also a member of the
American Dental Association and
International Association of Dental Specialists.
Dr. Zhangrui Liang, DDS, MS
Dr. Zhangrui “Zac” Liang, DDS, MS, grew up in China and has been in the US since 2015. He attended dental school in China and did his endodontic training at
UCLA, where he also received a Masters of Science degree. He has practiced with Dr. Davis and Dr. Schwartz since 2022.
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