4 Factors That Can Determine Root Canal Longevity

Root canals are a fairly common dental procedure that is designed to save infected teeth instead of removing them. Getting a root canal does not guarantee that the tooth will be complication free though. While a root canal can potentially last your entire life, these factors could cause your root canal to fail earlier than expected:

You Neglect To Get Treatment Early

When it comes to dental procedures, it is common for people to avoid seeking professional help until it stars to hurt. This is a problem when delaying with root canal treatment, because the infection could spread to your jawbone. It will make it complicated to treat, and cause the procedure to eventually fail.

Don't make the mistake of putting off a roof canal, and have it done as early as possible to avoid a spreading infection.

You Are Old

When you are older, your teeth tend to fracture easily because they are brittle. This can make getting a root canal later in life difficult. Young people who need root canals will have a better chance of having a successful procedure because their teeth are stronger.

For older patients, dental crowns will be necessary to protect brittle teeth from stress. It might be expensive, but it will help preserve the tooth for many years.

You Need A Root Canal In A Rear Molar

If you need a root canal in one of your rear molars, there is a greater chance of the root canal failing for a couple of reasons. These teeth usually have multiple roots, which means more work needs to be done to perform the root canal in a hard to reach spot. Molars also experience more stress when eating,

Front teeth will have a single root, and are easy to access for the procedure. You will not be biting down with your front teeth as much, which puts the tooth under less stress over time. It's possible that a front tooth may not require a crown either.

You Need Posts

If your tooth can't support the dental crown, posts will need to be installed to reinforce it. Unfortunately, posts can weaken your tooth, making it more likely to fracture. Not needing a post will increase the chance that the tooth will survive over time.

While a few of these factors are out of your hands, others you do have control over. Visit your dentist every 6 months to catch problems in the early stages, and don't delay having a root canal procedure done.