Scientists from Regenstrief Institute found that teeth survive about 11 years after a root canal.
This information can be used to inform dental practice and help patients and dentists make better care decisions
The research is published in the Journal of Dental Research and was conducted by Thankam Thyvalikakath et al.
Root canals are an important treatment to maintain natural teeth affected by the disease.
However, over time, the treated tooth eventually becomes brittle and dies. Understanding the outcomes of the procedure is essential to improving dental treatments.
In this study, the research team gathered lectronic dental records from more than 46,000 patients who received root canals.
They found that the median survival time of a tooth after a root canal is 11.1 years. However, several factors can impact that, including follow-up treatments.
Teeth that receive a root canal, and a subsequent filling and crown last about 20 years.
Teeth that receive either a filling or a crown after a root canal last around 11 years.
Teeth that receive no restorative work after a root canal only last about 6.5 years.
There were also wide disparities in longevity among geographic regions.
Northeast—20.5 years
Midwest—11.2 years
Southwest—11.2 years
South Atlantic—9.1 years
South Central—9.0 years
Western—8.7 years
Insurance status also played a significant role in tooth survival time.
The team says oral health is a public health issue that significantly affects people’s overall health.
Leveraging dental records can help people better understand ways to improve treatment, identify causal relationships and maintain the health of teeth and gums.
This study provides more representative data of the overall population than previous studies. It also demonstrates that meaningful insights can be gained through the analysis of existing data from routine dental care.
If you care about teeth, please read studies about how to brush your teeth properly, and this mouthwash may increase your tooth damage.
For more information about tooth health, please see recent studies about how often you should get your teeth cleaned, and results showing gum disease linked to hardened arteries, stroke.
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