Why should I see a specialist endodontist for retreatment?

A specialist endodontist has undergone many years of dedicated advanced training and gained invaluable experience in the field.

We have access to the latest state-of-the-art equipment and techniques, and carry out numerous root canal procedures per week, many more than your general dentist. Root canal retreatment needs an expert hand to determine why your initial treatment failed and how we can ensure it doesn’t happen again.

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What does root canal retreatment involve?

To begin the retreatment process, we reopen your tooth and remove all the existing filling material so we can gain access to the root canals. We use specialist equipment to examine the canals, looking for new infection or anything unusual that may have been missed during the first treatment.

The process then becomes very similar to a standard root canal procedure. We carefully clean the root canals before filling them with a rubber material to ensure they are fully sealed.

When retreatment is complete, you will be fitted with a dental restoration, usually a crown, to return your tooth to full shape, structure and functionality. This is carried out by your general dentist, and will need to be done as soon as possible after your retreatment.

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Frequently asked questions

  • If your root canal treatment is failing, you will likely experience the same symptoms as the first time you had an infected tooth. Pain, swelling, tenderness on biting and a noticeable fracture can all be signs that your root canal has failed and you need retreatment. Please contact your dentist as soon as possible, who will be able to help you with the next steps.

  • Like with your initial root canal treatment, we use local anaesthetic to minimise your discomfort and ensure you are feeling relaxed before we begin. Your experience should be largely similar to your initial treatment, including the relief felt when you are no longer in pain from your infected tooth.

  • In some cases, we may suggest endodontic microsurgery as an alternative to root canal retreatment. This apicectomy procedure involves removing infected tissue and the end of the tooth root to save your tooth. The other option is extraction, but we do all we can to avoid this as it can cause further issues with your remaining teeth, and requires an often costly replacement tooth to be fitted.

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Simply complete our online referral form or, if you prefer, download and post your referral to us. Please contact us if you wish to discuss a potential referral by telephone or email.

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The Endodontic Practice
15 Penn Hill Avenue, Parkstone,
Poole, Dorset, BH14 9LU
  • Opening Hours:
  • Mon to Fri: 8:30am – 5:15pm
  • Closed for lunch between 1:00pm & 1:45pm
British Endodontic Society BDA Good Practice members