The Symptoms of a Failed Root Canal

A root canal is the best treatment to preserve a tooth that has severe decay. Even though many people get stressed when they know they have to get a root canal in NW Calgary, the truth is that it is a successful procedure approximately 90% of the time, and it can be completed in one dental visit.

Root canal therapy is necessary when the pulp in the tooth becomes infected. If you are worried about pain, you can make sure that your dental professional will give you a local anesthetic; this way, you won’t feel any pain. Then, the dentist will access the canals to clean them and fill them with a biocompatible sealing material. If the tooth is too weak, it may be necessary to place a post before the sealing material. The final step is placing a temporary filling to protect the tooth. Afterward, you must replace the temporary filling for a permanent restoration — a dental crown.

Even though it has a high rate of success, there is always a minimal risk for root canal therapy to fail; hence, you must know what symptoms you might experience if this is your case, and why it failed in the first place.

Why Does a Root Canal Fail?

Root canal therapy can be compromised after it was completed. Let’s see what the main causes are:

• The crown breaks – The dental crown is as important as the root canal itself because if it breaks, the tooth gets exposed to bacteria and becomes re-infected.
• Inadequate cleaning – If your dentist misses an infected canal, a re-infection is likely to occur.
• Severe trauma or tooth decay – If a treated tooth gets exposed after an accident or tooth decay, the success of the root canal therapy might be compromised.

How Do I Know That the Root Canal Has Failed? 

If you experience severe pain after getting a root canal, you better contact a dentist near you as soon as possible. The following signs are typical due to root canal therapy failure:

• Swelling in the gum – you may experience swelling in the affected area.
• Severe pain – It’s normal that you feel some discomfort during the next 48 hours after the procedure; but, if days pass and you are experiencing severe pain, there might still be an infection.
• Thermal sensitivity – You might experience high sensitivity to hot and cold drinks and foods.
• Discoloured tooth – If you suffer tooth discolouration following root canal treatment, visit a dentist in NW Calgary to get it checked.
• A pimple that doesn’t go away – This can be a sign of drain pus; hence, a re-infection.
• Asymptomatic - In some cases, a tooth that underwent a root canal can get re-infected and show no symptoms at all.

You should pay attention if you notice any of the symptoms above after getting root canal therapy near you, and visit your endodontist right away. He/she will likely give you the following options to proceed:

• Retreatment – As the name suggests, it is a second root canal treatment. Your dental professional will remove the filling material and repeat the whole process.
• Apicoectomy – It is an endodontic surgical procedure that consists of the removal of the root tip and the surrounding infected tissue.
• Dental extraction – A dental extraction might be an option if the patient doesn't want to undergo another root canal treatment, or if the treated tooth has severe damage.

Every case is different, and every person may or may not experience symptoms if a root canal fails. What’s important is that you know how to recognize them so you can get assistance as soon as possible.