Endodontic Microsurgery/Apicoectomy
Why would I need Endodontic Surgery? Generally, a root canal is all that is needed to save teeth with an injured pulp from extraction. Occasionally, a tooth that is still symptomatic or that has healed improperly will need additional treatment. Usually these teeth are treated with a retreatment; however, some teeth are not candidates for re-treatment. In order for proper healing to occur, a special type of gum surgery called endodontic microsurgery might be necessary. This type of surgery involves just the root-ends and does not involve the crown of the tooth. The root-ends as well as the inflamed/infected area are exposed and cleaned. A filling is then placed in the end of the root and the gums are placed back in their original position.
The above diagram illustrates this simple procedure. An incision is made in the gum tissue to expose the bone and surrounding inflamed tissue. The damaged tissue is removed along with the end of the root tip. A root-end filling is placed to prevent reinfection of the root and the gum is sutured. The bone naturally heals around the root over a period of months restoring full function.