Saving Your Teeth One Root at a Time
What Is an Apicoectomy?
Sometimes, the best way to surgically re-treat a failing root canal is to approach it through the root instead of the crown. This approach is apical surgery or apicoectomy (surgery on the apex, or tip, of the root).
Apical surgery may be indicated in the case of persistent, well-established infections or cysts, cases in which re-treatment may have undesirable consequences, or infected canal spaces accessible only through surgery.
How an Apicoectomy Works
The procedure begins with an incision in the gum tissue, through which the dentist gains access to the site of infection. The infected tissue is excised and submitted to a pathology laboratory for evaluation. Because the apex of the root typically harbors the origin of the problem, that portion is also removed. The dentist then prepares a small tunnel within the root canal and places a filling at the root end to seal it. Sutures are used to close the gum tissue and are removed after a few days. With the infection cleared, the surrounding bone is able to heal.
With Dr. Donn, You’re In Good Hands
Historically, predicting the outcome of an apicoectomy was challenging, but developments in diagnostic and surgical methods — among them microscopic visualization and ultrasonic instrumentation — have substantially improved the precision with which the procedure can be performed. Consequently, success rates are considerably higher than they were in earlier periods.