Has anyone experienced side effects from a broken file left during a root canal?

My dentist broke a file in my tooth (root canal)a week ago...it's been painful and I am taking antibiotics and vicadin..but he says its not because the file was left in my tooth. I have an appointment for a second opinion, but I was wondering if any one has had any long term side effects from something like this? Everyone I know keeps telling me to get a lawyer,,,I'm not the type. I understand accidents but he is not owning any responsiblity for my pain. Any true advice would be great

Has anyone experienced side effects from a broken file left during a root canal?
It usually is not a problem.Happens sometimes to the best dentists.As long as he was able to bypass the file and get to the tip of the root you will be okay.If worse comes to worse he can do a apicoectomy.(free of charge of course)No need for a lawyer.If you have a very good dentist they sometimes are able to vibrate the file out with an ultrasonic.
Reply:That can't be good. There must be a way to get it out of there, and he should doing it or paying to get it done.





Get over your "not the type" thing and get a lawyer, find one that knows about dentistry accidents.





This should never have gotten this far, it's hard to understand how the dentist would accept leaving it in there.





Here's what I found on one website:





A file may break. The tip of a file may break off inside the tooth. Usually, it's possible to leave the piece in the tooth and finish the root canal. But if the cleaning of the canal has not been finished, the file piece may have to be removed. Sometimes this can be done from the top of the tooth. However, in some cases, the file can only be removed through a surgical procedure called an apicoectomy. A small incision is made in the gum to access the root of the tooth, and the portion of the root containing the file piece is removed
Reply:what a good dentist
Reply:I had a very small piece of file break off during a root canal, and it has never bothered me in the two years since. I could barely see it on the x-ray.





You might give it another week or so, but if it continues to be a problem with pain or infection,surgical removal may be considered.
Reply:the main thing in RCT is to remove all infected materials out of the canals with the help of reamers and files,making them infection free with medicaments and finally an effective filling and seal with appropriate materials.in your case if the canal was cleaned properly before the file was broken and left there-no problem,it will work as a material that are used as filling and seal.but if the file was broken before the complete cleaning of the canal-then a possibity of infection remains.your dentist can very well judge it from the diagnostic x-ray and thereby can brief you.one more thing to let you know that broken file or reamer inside canal is usual in dentistry.sometimes they can be removed and sometimes not.



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