Success of Root Canal Treatments

Root canal therapy has advanced significantly over the last decade, from an 85 percent success rate to a 95 percent success rate. Most of the advancement is in 3-D imaging, which can make more of the root canal system visible to your root canal dentist in Northridge.

When a root canal procedure is said to fail, it usually just means more treatment is required. This happens for a few reasons, both mechanical and biological.

Mechanical reasons for root canal failure can include improper use of instruments, insufficient cleaning of the root canals themselves, and simply missing root canals. Often, a tooth will have multiple branching canals the dentist can have a hard time defusing. If the patient has calcified canals, or if the roots are particularly curved, the procedure can have a higher risk.

Biological factors can overlap with mechanical factors, simply because inattention to detail can result in biological side effects. These may include microbial reactions in the surgical space, and irritants or inflammatory material that may be left behind. These biological factors can be reduced or eliminated altogether by a skilled dentist, one who is careful to leave the tooth root pristine and all surrounding healthy tissue intact.

For more, contact our dentist in Northridge.