Apicoectomy, also known as root end surgery, is a dental procedure involving the removal of the tooth’s root tip and the infected tissue encircling it. It is typically performed when a root canal has failed to eradicate the infection in the root tip or when a root canal is not an appropriate treatment option due to factors such as the tooth’s morphology or the presence of a blockage.
An apicoectomy is generally regarded as a safe and effective procedure, but as with any surgical procedure, there are potential risks and complications. These can include swelling, bleeding, infection, and tooth or nerve injury in the vicinity. Before the procedure, your dentist or endodontist will discuss these risks with you and answer any concerns you may have.
A root canal is a dental procedure that addresses inflammation and infection in the pulp tissue located within a tooth. Inflammation of the tooth’s pulp can result in severe tooth decay and abscess formation, which may cause bone involvement if left untreated.
During a root canal, we will open up your tooth, remove the pulp, clean the root area, and then fill and seal it. We can provide treatment for tooth decay and disease that doesn’t require tooth extraction.
On the contrary, an apicoectomy solely impacts the apex of the root. It is typically a subsequent to a root canal procedure to repair the root or the surrounding dental tissues.
Here’s a rundown of how the Apicoetmoy works:
Most of the time, an apicoectomy takes 30 to 90 minutes. How long it takes to finish the surgery depends on where the tooth is and how complicated the root structure is.
There are several reasons why a dentist may recommend root-end surgery. The most frequent issue is attempting to restore a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy.
Root canal treatment typically has a long-lasting effect, but in some cases, the tooth may not heal properly and become re-infected. Therefore, our dentists would perform an apicoectomy in Houston, Texas, to eliminate the damaged tissue and preserve the tooth without requiring a dental extraction.
You can expect the following side effects right after an apicoectomy:
It is very important to do what your endodontist tells you to do to take care of your teeth after surgery. Among these steps are:
Following the surgical procedure, the bone will initiate the healing process around the root, which will take several months to complete. However, due to the meticulous nature of this operation, it typically boasts a remarkably high success rate in eliminating the bacterial infection responsible for the initial requirement of a root canal treatment. As a result, your dentist can provide you with affordable apicoectomy while guiding you through what initially seems to be a challenging surgery if your original root canal therapy failed and re-treatment was either unwise or unsuccessful.
We will be glad to file a predetermination for you to verify coverage of any necessary dental treatment. And we accept most PPO insurances.