Root Canal Infections

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Root canal infections can occur either before or after a patient undergoes root canal therapy. When a root canal becomes infected, the traditional solution involves the dentist removing the pulp of the tooth, cleansing and disinfecting the root canal and filling it with gutta percha. The dentist will then seal the tooth and usually will install a crown atop the tooth.

A root canal in a tooth can become infected because of a crack in the tooth that allows foreign substances such as saliva and food particles to enter the interior of the tooth, called the pulp. Decay from surrounding teeth can also find its way into the interior of an adjacent tooth and cause the previously uninfected tooth to begin to abscess.

Although a course of antibiotics may be administered, every tooth may have a different type of bacterial infection so an antibiotic is not guaranteed to kill all the bacteria, which could cause the infection to grow even after root canal therapy. When an infection in a tooth is left untreated, it can transfer to other areas of the face, such as the neck and jaw, and can eventually lead to loss of the tooth.

Some ...
... indications that a tooth has become infected and may need root canal therapy are severe pain when chewing or when pressure is applied, extreme discomfort when a tooth is exposed to heat or cold, a swollen or tender gum and tooth discoloration. A lack of symptoms does not guarantee that no infection is present however, so regular dental checkups are vital.

A root canal infection can also occur after a patient has had root canal therapy, even years afterward. One reason for this is that a tooth may have many root canals and some may not be visible or accessible. Even when a root canal is visible and has been cleansed and disinfected a microscopic amount of the infected matter may remain and eventually cause the interior surface of the tooth to become infected.

If the filling material, the gutta percha, is not completely compacted into the space left after the pulp is removed, a tiny air pocket can remain. When even a minuscule air pocket is left in the tooth during root canal therapy, bacteria can thrive. This is because root canal therapy removes the pulp, which is the blood supply to the tooth. Without a blood supply to carry away the infection, the bacteria continue to grow and can cause an abscess.

Additionally, events such as facial trauma may precipitate a crack in a tooth after root canal therapy, thereby allowing foreign substances and bacteria to enter a tooth, which may require a root canal re-treatment. Since root canal infections may be asymptomatic, it is extremely important to have regular dental checkups to ensure the health of one's teeth and gums.