Root Canal

hi robert12,

firstly, you should go back to the dentist that did the root canal. he/she will have you on file (all records must legally be kept for at least 5 years). He will also have the x rays of the tooth before and after the root canal from two years ago. Sometimes root canals don’t always work, so don’t feel the dentist had ‘not done things properly’ as a previous reply from trish D suggests. If you don’t feel comfortable going back to the same dentist, or you go back and have doubts about what they have suggested, then seek a second opinion from another dentist. you can always request your file from the previous dentist which would be helpful for the second dentist to have.

Secondly, there are reasons why root canals don’t always work. it could be that the dentist was unable to clean/fill the canal right down to the end of the root (sometimes roots are bent or blocked and access is difficult) in which case part of the nerve may still be in situ. It would be for the dentist to take an x ray to check this. Also, there may be another canal that was not located. An x ray only shows a 2D image…there could be an extra root canal that is hiding behind the canal visible on the x ray…dentists follow a ‘standard’ number of root canals for each tooth but sometimes (because everyone is different) there can be one, two, sometimes three extra canals hiding! If you do have an extra canal that has not been cleaned and filled, then you still have a nerve in part of the tooth. A root canal can also be unsuccessful if the filling on top is leaking and the root has not been filled sufficiently. this means bacteria can still get in to the tooth, travel down the root canal and cause infection.

I would personally go back to the dentist you saw before and explain the situation. See what they say and let us know!

It could be an inflamed nerve that root canal is touching. That causes pain that does not go away until you remove the filler. Try a different dentist, preferably a specialist, endodontist since you are dealing with pain from a current root canal.

Hello I have gone through root canal treatment before two years ago. Initially after the treatment also there was pain in my molar teeth. I consulted doctor from whom I undergone treatment. He told me that my inner wounds are yet to fill and the pain will be reduced after some days. But its is still there. What should I do? Should I again show him. Its already 2 years back case. Will he consider me?

If you are still having problems from root canal two years ago I’d go to another dentist/doctor soon. No way would I go back to someone who hadn’t done things properly originally.