Endodontic Retreatment
A treated tooth that still hurts is not a mystery. It is a question with a small number of answers, and most of them are findable.
A root canal that fails does so for reasons that repeat. A canal was never located and still holds infected tissue. A canal was found but not cleaned to its full length. The seal at the top leaked and bacteria travelled back down. Or the tooth fractured after treatment and the crack became the pathway.
None of those are resolved by waiting, and none of them are resolved by antibiotics for more than a few weeks at a time. They are resolved by opening the tooth again, removing what was placed the first time, finding what was not found, and sealing the system properly.
Retreatment is more demanding than the original procedure. Previous filling material has to be removed without damaging the root, posts and crowns may have to come off, and the anatomy that was missed is missed precisely because it is difficult to see. It is also, in a large proportion of cases, the difference between keeping a tooth and replacing it.
Who handles a retreatment
Endodontic treatment here is performed by Dra. Andrea Pablos, whose practice has been limited to endodontics for more than five years, of more than ten in dentistry. She trained in general dentistry and in the endodontic specialty at Universidad de La Salle Bajío, with continuing education in operating microscopy with ZEISS (2021) and CBCT tomography (2022). Cédula profesional 12829005. The studio’s second endodontist is Dra. Dorthy Raygoza, Cirujano Dentista from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (2014) with an endodontic specialty from the UABC postgraduate centre (2018), cédula profesional 11959538.
A retreatment is harder than the original procedure: the previous filling material has to come out before anything can be cleaned, and the anatomy has already been altered once. It is a case for someone whose practice is limited to endodontics, with magnification and a three-dimensional scan of the tooth.
Reopening, and finding what was missed
Why it failed, established first
Radiographs, three-dimensional imaging where needed, and examination under magnification. Retreating without a reason is repeating the first attempt.
Previous material removed
Old filling material, and sometimes a post, are taken out so the canal system can be reached along its full length.
Cleaned, sealed and restored
Every canal located is disinfected and sealed, and the tooth is restored with a seal that does not leak. The coronal seal is as much a part of the outcome as the canal work.
Why did my root canal fail?
Most often because a canal was never found. Molars commonly have four canals and sometimes five, and the additional ones are narrow, off-center and easy to miss without magnification. Infected tissue left in an untreated canal keeps the process running, and it resurfaces months or years later in a tooth everyone considered finished. The other frequent cause is a leaking restoration on top: the canal work was adequate, and bacteria re-entered from above because the seal did not hold.
Is retreatment worth it, or should I extract?
It depends on what is left. A tooth with sound structure, adequate bone support and no vertical root fracture is generally worth retreating, because keeping your own root is worth more than replacing it and a retreated tooth can serve for many years. A tooth that is fractured below the gum line, or that has too little structure left to restore, is one where the implant becomes the better plan. Those are different findings and they should be presented to you as such, with the reasoning visible rather than as a recommendation you are asked to take on trust.
Before & After
Retreatment is documented against the previous work: the original radiograph showing what was filled, the retreatment showing what was found, and the follow-up showing whether the bone at the root tip recovered. Three images rather than two, because the comparison that matters is against the first attempt.
What patients say
“Thank you so much for saving the day. I don’t remember the last time I had such a painful toothache. My wisdom teeth were definitely not helping. Thank you for taking me in last second…”
“I went in there as a walk in and came out a happy customer. Great service and beautiful facility.”
“From the moment I first reached out by email, my experience with Makeover Dental Studio has exceeded every expectation. The clinic itself is state-of-the-art, but what truly sets it apart is the incredible team behind it.”
“Very pleased and impressed with the professional service and attention given at this clinic. All of the staff is very attentive. Dr. Erika answered all my questions and concerns, she explained in detail the whole process of my braces…”
Quoted exactly as written. All 479 reviews on Google →
Frequently asked
What patients ask before they book. If yours is not here, the fastest answer is a call.
- Your case planned in 3D before treatment begins
- A treatment plan written in English
- A direct line to the clinic once you are home
Sometimes. Access can occasionally be made through the crown and repaired afterwards, and in other cases the crown has to be removed to see properly. Which applies is decided before you commit, not during.
Surgical endodontics is the next option: treating the infection at the root tip directly, through a small access. It is considered when a conventional approach has been properly exhausted rather than as a first resort.
Frequently one longer appointment, sometimes two when the infection needs an interim medication phase. Which applies is usually clear from a recent radiograph, so sending one ahead is worth the trouble.
If you are in pain right now, that is the message to send.
You will get a straight answer about what is still savable and what has to happen first. If you have a previous x-ray, sending it ahead is worth the minute it takes.
Mon-Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm
Sat 9:00am – 4:00pm
Request your consultation
Send the radiograph from the original treatment if you have access to it. Comparing what was filled against what is there now is the fastest route to an honest answer about whether the tooth is savable.
US: +1 (619) 202-0423
MX: +52 (664) 634-2023
makeoverdentalstudio@outlook.com
Frida Kahlo 10410, Torre Quatro, 1st floor, office 106
Zona Urbana Rio, Tijuana, B.C. 22010
Mon-Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm | Sat 9:00am – 4:00pm
