Professional dentist hold and show transparent crystal artificial red root tooth figure model ceramic material object for medical dental oral care in two palms hand for clinic and hospital explain
If you’ve recently gotten a root canal and you feel like you have a sinus infection or “sinusitis,” you may be wondering what’s happening. Is it possible that your root canal caused your sinuses to become infected?
That’s a good question. And in this blog from Elite Dentistry, we’ll separate fact from fiction, and discuss whether or not root canals can really cause a sinus infection. Let’s get started.
Root Canals Don’t Cause Sinus Infections, But An Infected Tooth Can!
The short answer is “no.” Root canals do not cause sinus infections. However, there is a complication. While root canals don’t cause sinus infections, an infected tooth can. How?
Well, it’s actually simple to understand with a little bit of knowledge about your anatomy. The roots of your upper teeth, particularly your rear teeth like the molars and premolars, are very deep. They are extremely close to the “sinus lining,” of the maxillary sinuses. This is the mucous membrane that surrounds your sinuses.
This means that if you have a deep, severe tooth infection that reaches into the bottom of the roots of your teeth, the bacteria can spread from the teeth into the sinus lining. This is known as “maxillary sinusitis of endodontic origin,” meaning the infection came from the tooth.
This is why some people may think that root canals can cause sinus infections. Because root canals are used to treat infected teeth, a patient who gets a root canal may think that their procedure caused their sinuses to become infected.
But in reality, the sinus infection was likely present before the root canal was performed. And, in most cases, your body will be able to fight off this infection without any issues, though you should see a doctor if your sinus infection lasts more than 10 days. Antibiotics may be needed to eliminate it.
Sinusitis-Like Symptoms After A Root Canal Could Be A “Sinus Communication”
There is another reason that root canals are sometimes associated with sinusitis. This is due to a relatively common complication called “sinus communication.” This is a fancy term for a tiny hole in your sinus lining.
Sinus communications can happen during root canal treatment because special, sharp tools must be used to clean out the roots of your teeth. As we mentioned, the ends of these roots are very close to your sinus lining, particularly in the rear teeth.
So if your dentist accidentally pushes a bit too far into the tooth, they could open up a very small hole in the sinus lining. This can cause sinusitis-like symptoms like congestion, sinus pressure, and pain, a runny nose, or post-nasal drip.
Usually, though, this only affects one side of your sinuses. And the good news is that in most cases, the sinus lining will heal on its own without the need for any surgical intervention.
Need A Root Canal In Orlando? Come To Elite Dentistry!
Root canal therapy is the best way to save an infected tooth, eliminate the risk of sinusitis caused by a tooth infection, and restore your smile. So if you think you may need root canal therapy in Orlando, don’t wait. Get the expert care you need from Dr. Mark Ashy by contacting us online or giving us a call at (407) 658-0103.
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