While it doesn't happen often, having a root canal fail does happen now and again. What are you supposed to do if you start having pain in that tooth again? Well, the first thing you need to do is contact the dentist that did the root canal the first time. Let them know what is going on, and schedule an appointment to go in and get seen as soon as you can. From there, they can determine the cause of the problem, and determine what type of treatment is going to work best for you.

Options When Your Root Canal Fails

The typical treatment when a root canal fails is to do the procedure again. There are many miniature canals within the tooth from the nerves and the roots. It is possible that even the most diligent dentist may have missed one of the canals within your tooth and that it became inflamed or it reinfected the rest of the tooth. This time, they will go through the tooth more thoroughly, and make sure that nothing is missed. Once the procedure is done, they will fill it and cap it, just like the first time.

The only other option that most people have when a root canal fails is having that tooth extracted, but this should only be done as a last resort. Extraction is never an ideal situation, and should only be considered when no other tooth-saving efforts can be found.

Don't wait if you notice pain from a tooth that recently had a root canal done. While it isn’t something most dentists see on a regular basis, it can happen and you should be aware of that. If you notice discomfort, make sure to get it checked. It may not be anything to worry about, but it may also be a problem that needs to be addressed. If you have any questions, or if you would like to learn more, please call us today at (775) 430-5355.