FAQs about Root Canals

Despite the prevalence of helpful oral health information on the internet, root canals remain a source of anxiety or uncertainty for dental patients. As providers of root canal therapy, Amerident Dental helps patients understand the benefits and processes of this treatment. If you have questions about root canal therapy, we encourage you to read on or call our office for more information about this common dental procedure.

Isn’t it Better to Just Pull my Tooth?

If you have a painful tooth infection, it can seem better to just remove the affected tooth altogether to relieve discomfort. But having a missing tooth presents its own unique set of challenges for your oral health. With a gap in your smile, teeth can begin to shift out of place and become misaligned. Missing teeth also reduce essential stimulation needed for bone and soft tissue to remain healthy. Whenever possible, it’s always better to keep your natural teeth.

Can I Get a Second Root Canal?

While it’s not ideal to return for a second root canal procedure, it is possible to do so. In rare cases, when a root canal was completed with a lack of thorough care, bacteria can still remain and cause painful dental symptoms. A second treatment targets these untouched areas and cleans areas of root chambers that were neglected with the first treatment. In this scenario, keeping your tooth is still of the utmost importance.

What if I’m in Pain after my Root Canal?

It’s normal to feel some general discomfort after treatment, but it should by no means be equivalent to the pain from your original tooth infection. If you’re still experiencing shooting pain in the area of your treated tooth and are unable to bite and chew on the side of your mouth that contains the treatment site, call your dentist immediately to see if a second root canal is necessary.

Do I Need a New Crown if I get a Root Canal Retreatment?

After a root canal is completed, your treated tooth is sealed and capped with a dental crown. If you require a second root canal, it may not be necessary to undo all parts of your initial treatment, including the restoration. If the cause for retreatment is bacteria left behind inside your tooth, your crown can remain as-is; a new access point will be made through the crown and sealed after retreatment is finished.

If the cause for re-treatment is an improperly sealed crown, which allowed bacteria to enter inner tooth systems, the crown will need to be removed and re-sealed.

At Amerident Dental, we want our patients to know that root canals are nothing to be afraid of. We encourage to you call our office or make an appointment today to learn more about root canal therapy.