In an apicoectomy, the dentist removes the very tip of the tooth’s root, replacing it with a filling. To begin this process, a local anesthetic is used to make the area numb. Then, an incision will be made in the gums, exposing the tooth’s root. Next, the doctor removes any inflamed tissue so that the area is completely cleaned out. The surgery is confined to a very small area, and in fact, just a few millimeters of the root are removed. To assist in this process, the doctor uses small precision instruments as well as magnification in order to perform this surgery. Once the filling has been placed at the tip of the root, the gums are then stitched together, and the surgery is complete. Depending on your specific case, the dentist might use dissolvable sutures, or you might have to return after a few days to have your sutures removed.