Apicoectomy

An apicoectomy offers a solution when a root canal doesn’t solve the pain and inflammation in your tooth root. At Kings Highway Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, the expert team is highly trained and experienced in providing these minor surgical procedures that remove inflamed gum tissue from the end of your tooth root. To find out how an apicoectomy can help your oral health, call the office or schedule a consultation online today. 

What is an apicoectomy?

Also known as a root-end resection, an apicoectomy refines the apex (tip) of your tooth. If you have inflamed gum tissue at the very end of your tooth root, it can cause pain and potential tooth loss. An apicoectomy maintains the integrity of your tooth to preserve your tooth placement and natural bite. 

An apicoectomy can prevent decay and tooth loss and reduce any inflammation in the gum tissue and tooth root that can spread to your jawbone.

How does an apicoectomy differ from a root canal?

A root canal involves removing infected pulp from inside a tooth, cleaning the tooth, and filling it with a biocompatible material. Your pulp is made up of nerves and blood vessels that help your tooth develop. Once your tooth is mature, this pulp isn’t essential to your tooth integrity.

During an apicoectomy, your surgeon treats only the very tip of your tooth. The procedure usually happens after a conventional root canal and fixes the soft tissue around the root or the root itself. 

Who needs an apicoectomy?

If you’ve had a root canal but find it hasn’t healed well or has become reinfected, an apicoectomy may be necessary. An apicoectomy can save the tooth structure, which is best for your oral health. 

Some patients need an apicoectomy to: 

• Treat a fractured or cracked tooth
• Remove calcium deposits in a root canal
• Eliminate a root that has a hole 
• Treat a tooth with extra roots

An apicoectomy can also treat or prevent bone loss in the jaw that causes loose teeth.

What is it like to have an apicoectomy?

An apicoectomy is a minor in-office surgical procedure. Your surgeon numbs the treatment area with a local anesthetic and then makes a small cut in your gums around the inflamed area. They remove any infected tooth roots, refill the tip of the root canal, and then stitch up your gum with dissolvable threads.

Over time, the bone heals around the treated root. You won’t need to schedule downtime following the procedure but may have slight soreness for a day or two afterward. 

To learn more about an apicoectomy, call Kings Highway Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery or schedule a consultation online today.