Root Canal Treatment

seanfarrelly23

I had root canal treatment on one of my rear teeth yesterday. Unfortunately a file broke when the dentist was cleaning one the root canals and remains lodged in the canal. The dentist said that this happens 'occasionally'. He said that I could attend a dental specialist but that he probably would not be able to remove the file either. He suggested that as the canal has not been cleaned out the tooth will have to be removed and he suggested either a denture or an implant. Has anybody else had this experience? What are the chances of somebody being able to remove the file and finish the root canal treatment?

Big_G

This does happen from time to time, despite the best possible precautions being taken. It is frustrating for both the dentist and the patient.

Depending on the length of the piece of broken file and its location (how far down the root) sometimes these can be removed using ultrasonic vibration or a file remover. It usually requires the skills of an endodontist with a high powered dental operating microscope.

Your dentist is quite correct to say that if the canal has not been sufficiently cleaned before the file broke, it is unlikely that finishing the root canal treatment would be successful.

You could ask for a referral to an endodontist to see if the file could be retrieved, sometimes they work miracles.

vishal

Apical surgery may also be an option if the file cannot be removed or bypassed.

day dreamer

Hi Sean

Sorry to hear about your root canal problems. Unfortunately files can break in the root and make the treatment impossible.

For the root treatment to be successful the root needs to be fully cleaned and disinfected. This may not be possible with the broken file in place. I would ask to see an endodontist who specialises in such work and would know if the file can be removed. The root canal treatment can sometimes be done leaving the file in there or an alternative could be a procedure called an apicectomy, where the infected bit of the root is removed and the healthy root left behind.

It still may not be possible to save the tooth but a 2nd opinion would do no harm and may save the tooth. the alternatvie would be extraction I'm afraid

seanfarrelly23

Sounds like good advice. Hopefully the endodontist can deal with the problem.

nichola seaver

think twice bout gettin root canal again down south , the simple reason is that in south ireland it can average at 800 euro and up north ireland it is average 400 euro, its less than an hours drive too. ...

georgieporgy

But Sean would have to buy a car then.....

btkm8unsl0w5r4

nichola seaver wrote: »

think twice bout gettin root canal again down south , the simple reason is that in south ireland it can average at 800 euro and up north ireland it is average 400 euro, its less than an hours drive too. ...

The OP needs an endodontist a root canal specialist to remove a separated file in the tooth. While there are some in the North they charge a similar amount to southern specialists. The general dentist is not the one you need handling this problem.

Big_G

nichola seaver wrote: »

think twice bout gettin root canal again down south , the simple reason is that in south ireland it can average at 800 euro and up north ireland it is average 400 euro, its less than an hours drive too. ...

Would you get your cochlear implant done up north for half the price? By someone who is a regular gp with little formalised postgraduate education? If you would, good luck to you. AFAIK there are only two endodontists in the north.

Supercell

Op this all sounds very expensive, I would seriously consider the implant route. I have two, and to all intents and purposes they are just the same as real teeth and should last a lifetime, a root canal will have to be revisited maybe 5-10 years down the road all over again.
I'd be curious as to any dentists here opions of the pros and cons of root canal over implants in general terms?

georgieporgy

I had one done 40 yers ago. Still there.

Big_G

Agreed, no reason why a well done root canal cannot last a very long time.

Root canal vs. implant is an ongoing debate within the profession. I will recommend root canal treatment over implant if the tooth can be restored with a filling or a crown afterwards. If not, implant. That is an extreme simplification but that is generally the way I sit in the implant vs. rct debate.

day dreamer

If properly done and filled or crowned afterwards, the root canal treatment should last a lifetime. The cost is a lot less than an implant even if a crown is needed. As long as there is a good bit of the teeth left then the prognosis for root canal treatment is very good.

With regard to going up the North there is only one specialist endodontist or root canal expert in the whole of the North. There are many in the South who have specialist equipment and training and only work in root canal treatment.

For a back tooth you would expect to pay 800 approx with a specialist in the Republic. A tooth with a broken file is difficult to treat as you already know from talking with your dentist so I would feel you need to go and see specialist.