Can You Still Have An Infection After a Root Canal?

A root canal therapy is an alternative treatment to dental extraction. It is undertaken when a bacterial infection seeps through the dentin to reach the soft pulp. A root canal treatment entails drilling a hole in the infected tooth to reach the root canal and cleaning it by removing the dead, decayed, and infected pulp. Root canal therapy is a fairly standard procedure in the USA, with almost 41000 people undergoing it every day. Likewise, statistics reveal that 97 percent of all root canal treatments are successful. However, all medical procedures come with occasional failure, and a root canal is no exception. 

Top Four Reasons for Root Canal Failure

1. Untreated Root Canal: Some teeth like the morals have multiple root canals. Hence, there is a slight chance that the dentist may have missed one or two infected root canals, thereby causing the root canal therapy to fail.
2. Root Fracture: An undetected tooth chipping during or after the root canal therapy can cause re-infection, hence the failure of the procedure. 
3. Breakdown of the Seal: As we have already discussed, root canal therapy involves drilling a hole in the infected tooth, cleaning it, and finally sealing the hole. At times, the sealing material or gutta-percha may break down, allowing bacteria to re-invade the root canal. 
4. Abscessed Gum: A new gum infection after a root canal treatment can fail the previous treatment.

Signs That a Canal Therapy Has Faile

• Persistent pain for weeks or even months after a root canal therapy
• Sudden onset of pain long after a root canal therapy
• Swelling around the involved tooth
• Oozing out of blood or pus from the area involved
• Tooth mobility

It is essential to remember that a root canal failure is not the end, and retreatment is a feasible course of action. 

Schedule your appointment with a dentist today and get the treatment on time!