Since the practice of endodontics deal primarily with the inner matter and workings of your tooth, endodontic surgery is sometimes necessary to either diagnose a condition or restore a tooth to its proper functioning order. While many endodontic issues are solved with a non-surgical procedure called a root canal, other conditions may require a more aggressive approach.
When is Endodontic Surgery Needed?
You may require endodontic surgery for a couple of reasons: surgery may be required to properly diagnose your endodontic condition. While x-rays usually serve as effective diagnostic tools, some conditions – like a fracture or very small canal, may not be identified. With surgery, however, your endodontist has the ability to see and examine your tooth’s entire root, enabling him to diagnose the issue and even treat it on the spot.
Endodontic surgery may also be needed if you are not a candidate for a root canal. This could be due to calcium or other deposits that have made your tooth’s canal too narrow to carry out the procedure. Surgery may also be warranted on a tooth that was formerly treated with a root canal procedure, but has since become infected or diseased. Damaged roots and surrounding bones may also be a cause of surgical treatment.
Apicoectomy
There are a number of endodontic surgery procedures. That said, the most common procedure, called an apicoectomy, helps treat inflammation and infection in the bony area located at the end of your tooth. During an apicoectomy, your endodontist will surgically open the gum tissue to examine and remove the inflamed tissue.
Other endodontic surgery procedures are used to repair injured roots (or even remove roots) or extract teeth and treat an endodontic issue before implanting the affected tooth back into place.
For any endodontic surgery procedure, we’ll use local anesthetics to ensure that you’re comfortable and pain-free throughout the surgery. You may feel some soreness and swelling once the surgery is complete, which you can treat with mild pain relievers.
