Root Canal Mistakes
If you or someone you know has suffered from a root canal mistake and believe it was due to poor dental treatment, you should contact Brendan F. Mulligan, the dental injury attorney.
If a tooth is severely fractured and/or decayed the nerve of the tooth can become inflamed and/or infected and cause a patient to have severe pain. The patient has two options either extract the tooth or try to save it by having root canal therapy. Root canal is simply the removal of the nerve from the tooth. The dentist drills a hole through the center of the tooth and using small files or rotary instruments removes the infected and/or inflamed nerve tissue. After the nerve tissue is removed a“plastic like” material is placed into the nerve canal to seal off the area.
Incorrectly Performed Root Canals
Root canal is an excellent method to keep a natural tooth. Unfortunately, if it is done incorrectly it can result in tooth loss and possible nerve damage.
When a root canal is performed the dentist must make sure that the nerve canal is sealed just to the apex of the root. If the seal is too short, the tooth will inevitably become re-infected and possibly result in tooth loss. If the sealing material is too long and placed way past the apex, the area can easily become infected and result in nerve or sinus damage depending on the location of the tooth. These problems are easily avoided if the dentist takes proper X-rays and measurements to determine the correct length of the nerve canal.
Another major issue associated with root canal therapy is not locating the nerve canal and mistakenly filling the outside root area of the tooth. Absent negligence on the part of the dentist, this should never occur.
We also see dentist leaving and/or fracturing instrument parts in the nerve canal. In a curved canal this is a known and acceptable risk and something the patient should be aware of. Leaving and/or fracturing an instrument in a straight canal is unacceptable and should not occur and may result in tooth loss.
If you’ve experienced any of the problems mentioned or have other concerns regarding root canal treatment that you believe was poorly done, remember to call Brendan F. Mulligan, D.M.D., Esquire, the dental malpractice attorney.