As occasionally happens with any dental or medical procedure, a tooth may not heal as anticipated after initial treatment for a variety of reasons: Narrow or curved root canals, Complicated root canal anatomy, An inadequate seal of a restoration. Some of these issues do not give rise to symptoms, but can give rise to chronic infection, often seen in an x-ray picture as a small black area around the end of an affected root. New problems too, can jeopardize a tooth that initially had successful endodontic (endo-inside, dontic-tooth) or root canal treatment.
Who performs root canal retreatment? - Endodontic or root canal retreatment can be more complicated and technically challenging than initial treatment, and is generally carried out by root canal specialists, "endodontists", dentists who have taken specialty training in the diagnosis and treatment of root canal problems. Most modern endodontic procedures are performed with the use of microscopes to allow the proper degree of precision and sophistication needed to ensure success.