Endodontic Surgery – Apicoectomy

At times, it is not possible to achieve complete healing with nonsurgical root canal treatment alone.  In such cases, there is still a very good chance to save your tooth. Endodontic surgery, called Apicoectomy, allows the endodontist to locate small fractures or hidden canals that do not show up on x-rays.  In some cases, surgery may be necessary to treat the infected bone surrounding the roots of the tooth or to treat the damaged root surfaces. Apicoectomy is a microsurgical procedure, meaning that a surgical microscope is employed to achieve the best results while optimizing recovery.

Even though endodontic surgery may seem like a major procedure, it is really one of the most atraumatic dental surgeries.  In this microsurgical procedure, the endodontist makes an opening in the gum to uncover the bone surrounding the roots of the tooth. Inflamed and infected tissue is removed. The very tip of the root is shaved off and a small filling is placed to seal off the end of the root canal.  A few stiches are placed to help tissue heal. Within a period of months the bone surrounding the affected root fills in.  Postsurgical discomfort is mild and is easily managed with pain killers prescribed by your endodontist.