Home

Emergency

Fees

Blog

Contact

Failed Root Canals

Still in pain?

Root canal didn’t work the first time? Worried you might need a re-root canal or a specialist endodontist to take a look? Looking for a dentist in London who can give you a second opinion? Failed root canals can be fixed. Talk to us today.

Overhead LED dental examination light in a treatment room at Maida Smiles dental clinic

A failed root canal occurs when the original treatment does not effectively remove all of the infection or the tooth becomes infected again.

Believe it or not, a failed root canal can take weeks or even years to surface. You only recognise the symptoms of infection when they’re already severe, such as tooth discolouration (black tooth), pimples on the gum, swelling, and tooth pain.

And why is this happening when you’ve already been through a root canal treatment once before?

Dental chair headrest and instrument arm with a clinician preparing equipment at Maida Smiles dental clinic
Treatment Type
Prices
Implant-Retained Dentures
From £6,500
Implant-Supported Bridges
From £2,000
All-on-4
From £16,000

Reasons for failure

Why root canals can go wrong

  • Incomplete cleaning causes bacteria to remain and infection to return
  • Canals which are narrow, branching in multiple directions or unusual features mean it can be more difficult to remove all the infected tissue.
  • Problems with the dental filling or dental crown.
  • A cracked tooth following the procedure allows bacteria to re-enter.
  • Poor oral care leads to tooth decay.

Root canal failure can sometimes be due to a dentist’s error, who might be held responsible, but it can also be due to a structural abnormality or unexpected development.

Other culprits of failed root canals could be salivary contamination, an obstruction, or even a traumatic dental injury.

Just because your root canal failed the first time does not mean a re-root treatment will fail, especially considering the percentage of failures lies between 2 and 14%.

Missing Teeth Before All on 4 – Maida Smiles Dental ClinicAll on 4 Before and After – Maida Smiles Dental ClinicTeeth Before All on 4 – Maida Smiles Dental ClinicTeeth After All on 4 – Maida Smiles Dental ClinicFull Mouth Missing Teeth Before – Maida Smiles Dental ClinicFull Mouth Missing Teeth After – Maida Smiles Dental ClinicMissing Lower Teeth Before – Maida Smiles Dental ClinicMissing Lower Teeth After – Maida Smiles Dental Clinic

Implant Before & After Images

Clinical cases resolved by the incredible implant surgeon Dr Pedro Gutierres using the innovative All-on-4 dental implant treatment.

Full arch rehabilitation with Dr Pedro

Implantologist, Dr Gutierres undertook full-time residencies at some of the most highly-regarded dental universities across the world and has gone on to complete several post-graduate diplomas in all areas of dentistry related to perfect dental implant placement.

BOOK implant consultation

Prices
No items found.

Book Now

Why re-treatment is important

If you do not seek treatment again, the infection may spread to other teeth. Saving your tooth becomes more challenging, but it can be done if you immediately go to your endodontist.

Failure to seek treatment again leaves you with the same risk you the first time around: the infection spreading to other teeth. As the infection of the dental pulp (pulpitis) cannot heal independently, requiring intervention and help from a dentist, it’s important to seek treatment.

While saving your tooth will be more challenging, it’s not impossible, especially if you involve a specialist dentist in training, Dr Jonny Lee, who currently works as a speciality registrar at Guy’s Hospital, providing complex surgical and non-surgical root canal treatment.

How Dr Lee will identify a failed root canal

Typically, an endodontist confirms a root canal failure with an X-ray. The X-ray highlights the infection, as well as the dental pulp, periodontal ligament, and bone. The radiograph allows the endodontist to diagnose the problem and see any issues inside your tooth or the structure surrounding the root, helping them to determine the best course of action and treatment plan.

New Patient Registration

Fill the form

Thank You!

Thank you for getting in touch. We have received your details and a member of our patient care team will be in touch shortly. Please look for an email from us within the next few hours.

OK

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
WhatsApp