Root Canal Risks and Complications
Although root canal treatment is now more safe and pain free than it has ever been, it should be remembered that no surgical dental treatment is without a certain number of risks and complications. Although the root canal risks are minimal it makes sense to understand these before you start root canal procedures. Our specialist team including our own endodontist at 75 Harley Street, London will be happy to answer your questions about root canal risks. We have a few of the answers to common questions below.
Root canal risks and post-procedure pain
Clients who undergo root canal treatment at our Harley Street clinic in London report no pain during their root canal procedure. This is because, at 75 Harley Street, we have invested in the very latest in local anaesthetic solutions. However, because root canal treatment involves work around the nerves and other sensitive areas of the tooth, you might find that some post-procedure pain is one of the root canal risks. This pain can usually be treated with paracetamol or ibuprofen.
Problem areas that present root canal risks
Root canal risks can be minimised when treatment is carried out by a specialist endodontist such as Dr Shahrzad Rahbaran, who is our resident endodontic expert at 75 Harley Street, London. Sometimes we are called on to help patients who have taken root canal risks and not visited an endodontic specialist. Examples of problems caused by non-specialist treatment include,
- A root canal that has been missed during treatment. This presents root canal risks because some teeth have more than one root canal and, if bacteria are not removed from all of them, there may be on-going issues and a need for a more complicated second procedure.
- An undetected crack in a tooth root. The root canal risk from a crack in the root of a tooth is that this leaves an area of the tooth exposed to the possible re-establishment of bacteria and the problems that these can cause
Defective materials and root canal risks
Following a root canal procedure an inner seal is placed over the area to protect it. One of the root canal risks is that this seal can become eroded and allow the reintegration of the bacteria, which caused your original discomfort.
How do I avoid root canal risks?
- Ask whether or not your dental practice has a specialist endodontist to perform root canal treatment. At 75 Harley Street we have Dr Rahbaran, who is eminently qualified.
- At 75 Harley Street, our specialist endodontist will arrange a 3-dimensional cone beam CT scan prior to treatment to assess complicated root canal anatomy, if deemed necessary.
- Ask about pain relief during and after your root canal procedure. At 75 Harley Street we keep our patients so pain free with our specialised local anaesthetic system that they often watch a movie or listen to music.
If you want to know more, you can also read about the benefits of root canal along with the some frequently asked questions about root canal treatment. Also you can view our standard costs of root canal treatment.