Endodontic Surgery

Why would I need Endodontic surgery ? Generally, a root canal is all that is needed to save teeth with injured pulps from extraction. Occasionally, this non-surgical procedure will not be sufficient to heal the tooth, and that time we may need to recommend surgery. Endodontic surgery can be used to locate fractures or treat teeth that still exhibit symptoms of infection. Damaged root surfaces or the surrounding bone may also be treated with this procedure. The most common surgery used to save damaged teeth is an ‘apicoectomy” or root tip resection.

What is an apicoectomy ? An incision is made in the gum tissue to expose the bone and surrounding inflamed tissue. The damaged tissue is removed along with the root tip. A filling is placed at the end of the root to prevent re infection and the gum is then sutured. The bone naturally heals and re grows around the root, over a period of months, restoring full function. We recommend returning after 3 months for a follow up x-ray to check for the desired bone regeneration.

Re-root Canal TreatmentIn some cases, new problems can influence a tooth that was successfully treated:

• New decay can expose a root canal filling material, causing infection.
• A cracked or loose filling or crown can expose the tooth to new infection.

Once retreatment has been selected as a solution to your problem, doctor will re-open your tooth to gain access to the root canal filling material. This restorative material will be removed to enable access to the root canal. Now doctor will clean your canals and carefully examine the inside of the problematic tooth. Once cleaned, doctor will fill and seal the canals and place a temporary filling in the tooth. At this point, you will need to return to your dentist as soon as possible in order to have a new crown or restoration placed.