Services
Root canal retreatment
For a tooth whose root canal didn't hold. We look inside it again.
Retreatment is for a tooth that has had a root canal and still hurts, or has started to hurt again, or shows a problem on an X-ray. We reopen the tooth, take out the old filling in the canals, clean them under the microscope and fill them again.
What happens, step by step
How many visits it takes depends on the tooth. We tell you the range once we've looked at it.
- 01
Step 1: Exam and X-rays
We look at the tooth, take the X-rays we need and sometimes a 3D scan. You hear what we see and what we'd do.
- 02
Step 2: Reaching the canals
We numb the tooth and open it, through the crown if we can. We take out the old filling.
- 03
Step 3: Cleaning under the microscope
We look for canals that were missed, clean all of them and fill and seal them.
- 04
Step 4: Back to your dentist
A temporary filling protects the tooth until your dentist places the crown or filling. We send a report.
Comfort, other options and after-care
Comfort
We numb the tooth before we start. Tell us if you feel anything and we stop. The tooth is often sore for a few days afterward.
Other options
Root-end surgery, or taking the tooth out. If you wait, bacteria that are still in the tooth can spread to the bone around it. We go through each choice with you.
Risks and after-care
Retreatment can fail, and some teeth can't be saved. Risks include a crack found during treatment and a tooth that stays sore. You get written after-care, and a number to call.
How it's billed
You get the fee in writing before treatment. We bill your plan where we can, and give you a receipt where we can't.
How fees work
Questions about root canal retreatment
How many visits does retreatment take?
Most take one or two, and some take three. We tell you the range for your tooth once we've looked at it.
Will you have to take off my crown?
Sometimes. We try to go through it. If we have to take it off, we tell you first, and your dentist makes a new one.
What if the tooth can't be retreated?
We tell you at the exam or during treatment, and we go through root-end surgery and replacing the tooth.
Will it hurt?
We numb the tooth, and we stop whenever you ask. No one can promise you won't feel anything.
Who treats you
Treatment is provided by Dr. Yoshiko Abe, DDS. Her practice is limited to endodontics: a residency in endodontics and the American Board of Endodontics, as listed on her profile.