Root canal failure...........?!

I’m a dentist.

No, you have more options to pursue before having the tooth removed.’

While root canals are usually successful, they can and do fail, and no doctor is immune to having root canals fail from time to time.

The first step is to go back to the doctor who performed the root canal and let him/her evaluate the tooth to make sure that it’s the cause of your symptoms. Indeed, it’s quite possible that the swelling and pain you are experiencing is caused by a different tooth, or something unrelated to your teeth altogether.

If it is determined that the root canal has failed, the next step would be for the doctor to determine why it failed. Root canals usually fail for three reasons: 1. because the root canal system wasn’t instrumented/cleaned/disinfected adequately, 2. the canals weren’t obliterated adequately, and/or 3. depending on the tooth, a canal was missed. But they can also fail because of residual infection around the tip of the root, a weakened immune system, or because the access to the root canal system was not adequately protected from the bacteria in the oral cavity after the procedure was completed.

If the root canal is inadequate, the next step would be for the root canal to be fixed so that it is adequate. This generally means re-treatment. Some general dentists do this. Most don’t. All endodontists can do it.

If the root canal is adequate, then it would be prudent to go on another course of antibiotics -- generally of a different class than the antibiotic you were previously given. If the course of antibiotics doesn’t help, then an apicoectomy might be indicated.

If the apicoectomy doesn’t work, then the tooth should be removed. There are other ‘heroics’ that can be performed such as root amputation, etc., but these are generally ridiculous procedures -- especially since implants are so commonplace and reliable.

Good luck!

As a Dental Assistant I can tell you that they can open up the tooth and redo it. Hopefully you went to an endodontist and not just a general Dentist. You also should not be charged any additional money since, they did not do it correct the first time.
Also, the tooth could have a hairline fracture in which case, the RCT will not work and you will have continous pain even though the tooth in all reality is dead. Or the Dentist may have not gotten all the root tissue removed before finishing the RCT (Root Canal Treatment), in that case as I said at first it could be opened up and it can be redone.
Good Luck. The last and final option is to have it removed. But do that as a last resort.
Sue CDA

ya