[contact-form-7 id="761" title="Contact form 1"]
115 Alexandra Park Road, London N10 2DP Book an Appointment
Apico means apex or root tip and – ectomy means removal or resection. This therapy is the most common surgical endodontic procedure.
Occasionally, a nonsurgical root canal procedure alone cannot save your tooth and your endodontist will recommend surgery. This surgery can help save your tooth in different situations.
- Teeth with unusual forms of roots
- Secondary root channels that cannot be cleaned
- Cysts around the tooth
- A broken or cracked tooth
- A failure of a root canal treatment
In this procedure, the endodontist opens the gum tissue near the tooth to see the underlying bone and to remove any inflamed or infected tissue. The very end of the root is also removed. The apex is then sealed with a filling to prevent micro leakage.
When treating teeth on the back of the top jaw, the infection may involve the sinuses. The roots of the posterior teeth in the lower jaw are close to important nerve that may be affected by the surgery. Your surgeon will be guided by X-rays and 3D scans to determine any possible risk.
The endodontist will administer local anaesthesia to make the treatment more comfortable. Like any surgical procedure patients may experience slight discomfort while recuperating which is normal.
The only alternative to surgery is the tooth extraction. The extracted tooth must then be replaced with an implant, bridge, or removable partial denture to restore chewing function and to prevent adjacent teeth from shifting. Because these alternatives require surgery or dental procedures on adjacent healthy teeth, endodontic surgery is usually the most biologic and cost-effective option for maintaining your oral health.