Root canal treatment - Risks

In some cases, instruments can fracture and leave fragments in the root canal. Depending on the situation, these can be removed with special instruments in outpatient treatment, or, in severe cases, in an operation.
Another possible complication is the accidental perforation of the dental wall while drilling due to the use of instruments that are too large or rigid. Whether the tooth can be retroactively corrected and preserved depends on the location of the peforation.
There is the further risk of overfilling the root canal. This can affect the upper jaw by opening the maxillary sinus and the lower jaw by damaging the nerves. Infections or disruptions in the healing process can also occur.
In some cases, pain in the affected tooth may emerge long after the root canal treatment when bacteria penetrate into the jawbone via side canals and cause inflammation. Regular check-ups are therefore indispensible.^{18, 19}

Your dentist will explain these and other risks as well as your personal risk situation in a private conversation.

Sources:
^{8, 14} German Society for Dental Maintenance (DGZ)
^{1, 3, 9, 11, 16, 18} Dental Health Consortium
^{2, 4, 5, 10, 13, 19} University of Giessen Clinic
^{6, 7, 12, 17} University of Halle-Wittenberg Clinic,
Polyclinic for Restorative Dentristry and Periodontology
¹⁵ University of Graz Clinic for Dental, Oral, and Mandible Medicine