Hello,
Should I switch to an endodontist if I need a repeat root canal? I had a root canal on my upper right canine, which is a porcelain veneer tooth. I have six veneers on my upper front teeth from canine to canine. My dentist did a root canal on the tooth a year ago, but the filling fell out. This was not a temporary filling. Anyway, the tooth has an abscess, so I saw my dentist last week, and she says I need another root canal. I am concerned about this tooth because of the porcelain veneer on it. I don’t want to risk losing the veneer or the tooth. I wish my dentist had noticed the filling was loose before it fell out. Should I switch to an endodontist? Thank you. Mikayla
Hi Mikayla,
Your tooth is infected and needs treatment. An infection may have remained in your tooth after the root canal last year. Losing the filling may have let saliva and bacteria leak into the tooth. Over time, saliva will weaken the seal in your tooth, infecting it or causing a new infection to flare up.
Should You Switch to an Endodontist for a Repeat Root Canal?
Get a second opinion from an endodontist if you have concerns about root canal treatment on a porcelain veneer tooth
If you are uncomfortable with your dentist’s ability to resolve your tooth abscess, ask for a referral to an endodontist. Root canal treatment weakens a tooth, so you increase the chance of success with an endodontist since they specialize in root canal treatment.
The treatment should not harm your porcelain veneer. However, you can consult the endodontist before your treatment and express your concerns about keeping the porcelain veneer and tooth intact.
Schedule an appointment with the endodontist as quickly as possible to prevent the infection from spreading into your jawbone and affecting other teeth. An untreated infection will erode the tooth, making it unrestorable. That scenario would cause porcelain veneer and tooth loss, creating a need for tooth replacement, such as a dental implant.
Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Steven Brooksher sponsors this post. Learn more about the porcelain veneers process.
