Your root canal treatment failed because a file broke inside the canal. You have heard it can be retrieved — but is that always possible? Here is what the options actually are when an instrument separates during a root canal.
How Does a File Break Inside a Canal?
Dental files are tiny, flexible instruments used to clean and shape the inside of a root canal. They are strong but can occasionally snap — especially if the canal is very curved, narrow, or calcified. It is an unfortunate complication, but it does happen even to very skilled endodontists.
Can It Always Be Removed?
No. Whether a broken file can be retrieved depends on several factors. These include where in the canal the file is located, the type and size of the file, whether the canal is curved or straight, and the equipment available. Retrieval is more likely in the upper part of a straight canal. It is much harder — sometimes impossible — if the file fragment is lodged deep in a curved portion of the root.
What Are the Options?
If the file fragment cannot be removed, your endodontist has a few approaches. The broken piece can sometimes be bypassed — meaning the canal is cleaned and filled around it. In other cases, a small surgery called an apicoectomy removes the tip of the root where the file is lodged. This is done under local anaesthetic and has a high success rate.
The key thing is that the tooth does not always need to be extracted. Many teeth with separated instruments in the root canal can still be saved. The success depends on whether the rest of the canal can be properly cleaned and sealed.
What Should You Do?
If a file breaks during your root canal, do not panic. It is a recognised complication. See an endodontist — a specialist in root canal treatment — who has the training and microscopes to attempt retrieval. Not all general dentists have this equipment. The sooner it is addressed, the better the outcome tends to be.
Call 01323 723757 or book at www.meadsdental.comMeads Village Dental Practice