Does MTA extrusion cause endodontic failure?

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]I obturated the canals of this tooth with MTA. So, this is MTA and this is got a purchase sealer. Look at all of this MTA that got out.

[00:00:09]Will this MTA cause issues, cause problems for the patient? Will this MTA cause the endodontic treatment here to fail?

[00:00:17]Put in the comments. Let me know.

[00:00:19]This 29-year-old female patient was referred to me for endodontic retreatment of tooth number 13.

[00:00:25]According to the patient, the root canal was done about 10 years ago. Patient stated that tooth sometimes be tender and uh would hurt and then the pain would go away. She saw her dentist and her dentist told her that her root canal had failed and she had a big infection and referred the patient to us. This is one of those examples of not every J-shaped radiolucency a vertical root fracture, okay? Tooth was tender to percussion palpation. As you can see, there is a crown on the tooth, previous root canal, J-shaped radiolucency as you can see. Percussion palpation tender, probings 1 to 2 to 3 mm all around and as you can see, as I said, based on the radiograph, you can see a J-shaped radiolucency.

[00:01:01]So, I saw this patient 6 months ago.

[00:01:02]Here's the date as you can see.

[00:01:05]And this is today's date.

[00:01:06]So, about 6 months ago. We discussed options with her and she wanted to try to see if tooth could be saved and that's what we did. We went ahead and redid the root canal for her in one appointment 6 months ago. Take a look.

[00:01:16]This was immediately after I had redone the root canal for this patient 6 months ago. And here's the date as you can see.

[00:01:23]And this is today's date.

[00:01:26]As you can see, there was another canal here. The apical diameter was of both canals uh was over 50. So, this is an MTA plug, white MTA, followed by gutta-percha sealer. Again, remember, I redid the root canal in one appointment. Apical diameter turned out to be more than 50. So, I used MTA.

[00:01:44]MTA plugs here, plug here.

[00:01:48]Uh well, they start as one and then as you can see, they bifurcate. And then gutta-percha sealer here, temporized tooth, referred back to her dentist for the permanent or for the final restoration. And again, you can see it was 6 months ago.

[00:01:59]Here and here. And again, you can see a J-shaped radiolucency. And again, not all J-shaped radiolucencies are vertical root fracture. Patient came in today to see me for her 6-month post-op. Let me show you the 6-month follow-up of the tooth.

[00:02:11]It's a 6-month follow-up of the tooth.

[00:02:12]First of all, our patient reported no symptoms. She says she hasn't had any symptoms associated with this tooth. And here's the date as you can see, today's date.

[00:02:20]And this is today's date as you can see.

[00:02:23]So, take a look here. You can see how much smaller this periapical radiolucency has gotten in just 6 months, in just 6 months. Let me put them next to each other so you can appreciate the difference.

[00:02:32]This is 6 months ago, right here.

[00:02:38]Before I retreated the root canal for this patient in one appointment, look at the size of the periapical radiolucency.

[00:02:44]And this is today.

[00:02:46]And here's the date as you can see, today's date. And this is the name of my dental assistant. It's not the name of the patient. And here's today's date as you can see.

[00:02:54]All right. Now, look at the size of the periapical radiolucency today. Let me zoom out so you can tell the difference.

[00:02:59]So, 6 months ago, before I retreated the root canal, and this is today.

[00:03:03]You can see how much smaller that periapical radiolucency has gotten in just 6 months.

[00:03:08]All right, here we go.

[00:03:11]All right.

[00:03:13]6 months ago, before I retreated the root canal, and today, 6 months later, basically.

[00:03:20]Patient reports no symptoms, no issues, no problems.

[00:03:23]All right.

[00:03:24]I retreated the root canal in one appointment. Did not cause any endodontic retreatment failure and MTA extrusion. You can see there was MTA extrusion. MTA extrusion doesn't cause endodontic retreatment failure. What does cause endodontic retreatment failure?

[00:03:39]Tell me.

[00:03:40]All right.

[00:03:43]6 months post-op of tooth number 13.

[00:03:46]Tooth is in full function. Patient's very happy. No symptoms, no issues as you can see. The periapical radiolucency has gotten so much smaller in just 6 months and also not every as you can see not every J-shaped lesion see a vertical root fracture.

[00:03:59]6 months ago before I redid the root canal and today.

[00:04:05]6 months later basically.