Apicectomy

Removal of inflamed/infected tissue

Root-end Filling & Suture

Bone heals around the Root-end

Why would I need an apicectomy?
 
Generally, a root canal is all that is needed to save teeth with injured pulp.

Occasionally, this non-surgical procedure will not be sufficient to heal the tooth and you may need surgery. This may be needed when a reoccuring infection develops at the tip of the root. Even re-root treatment cannot resolve the problem alone.
The most common surgery used to save a root treated tooth that has a recurring infection at the tip of the root is an apicectomy or root-end resection.

What is an Apicectomy?

In this procedure, the dentist opens the gum tissue near the tooth root tip to see the underlying bone and to remove any inflamed or infected tissue. The very end of the root is also removed.

A small filling may be placed in the root to seal the end of the root canal, also a bone graft may be needed to fill in where the infection resorbed the bone around the root tip. A few stitches or sutures are placed in the gingiva to help the tissue heal properly.

Over a period of months, the bone will heal around the end of the root.

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