1. Diagnosis & Planning
We evaluate your tooth, review symptoms and use 3D CBCT imaging to see hidden canals or anatomy that caused the initial treatment to fail.
Root Canal Retreatment
Save your natural tooth with precise, comfortable care.
Your visit
What to Expect
Save your natural tooth and relieve pain—comfortably and precisely
2. Comfort first
The tooth is fully numbed and isolated for a clean, gentle environment.
3. Cleaning the canals
The old filling materials are removed, the canals are inspected for missed anatomy, and the spaces are thoroughly disinfected. We may use the GentleWave® System for a deeper, more complete clean.
4. Seal & protect
The canals are refilled with a biocompatible material, and a new temporary filling is placed. Your general dentist will typically restore the tooth with a crown afterward.
Watch
Root Canal Retreatment
Root canal retreatment provides a second chance to save a natural tooth. When previous treatment doesn’t fully resolve the infection, we reopen the tooth, remove old filling material, and use advanced tools like CBCT imaging and GentleWave® to clean deeply and seal effectively. This helps preserve your tooth and restore its function.
Frequently asked questions
Will it hurt?
Like your first root canal, we use full local anesthesia. The procedure itself is comfortable; you may feel some soreness for a few days.
How long does a retreatment take?
Most cases are completed in about one to two hours.
Why would I need retreatment?
Sometimes a canal is missed, infection recurs, or new decay exposes the root again. Retreatment gives the tooth another chance.
How is it different from my first root canal?
We remove the old filling materials and search for missed canals or hidden anatomy. Advanced imaging (CBCT) and GentleWave® help us clean more completely than older methods.
Will I need a new crown?
We try our best to keep the original crown intact. Depending on the state of the crown once retreatment is complete, your general dentist may decide to place a new crown to restore strength and seal the tooth.
Is extraction better?
Keeping your natural tooth is almost always the best option. Retreatment preserves your bite and prevents shifting of nearby teeth. Extraction is only considered if retreatment or surgery are not possible.
Ready to schedule?
Call our office or send a request and we will get you in as soon as we can.