Apicoectomy - Danbury and New Milford Oral Surgery


		Danbury Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery Associates, LLC 85 North Street 487 Danbury Road, Bldg A Danbury, CT 06810 New Milford, CT 06776 phone: (203) 790-0183 phone: (860) 355-4146 fax: (203) 743-7401 fax: (860) 354-4294

	Marshall D. Kurtz, D.M.D. Dorrance T. Kelly, D.D.S. Diplomates of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Apicoectomy

Even though root canal therapy is about 95% successful, at times it can fail. This does not always mean that the tooth must be extracted. We can evaluate you to see if an apicoectomy, or root end surgery, can help you and avoid extraction of the tooth. We will likely need x-rays to evaluate the problem and the associated structures that are near the root of the tooth or teeth. We will discuss with you the available options including the risks and benefits of any proposed surgery. For your comfort, we can discuss doing surgery with IV or other types of sedation to make your experience as pleasant as possible.

What is an apicoectomy?

When a root canal fails, there is often an abscess (acute or chronic infection) at the tip of the root. In order to save the tooth and prevent any further damage to the adjacent bone and structures (and relieve any pain), this must be removed.

To remove the infection, an incision is made in the gums in the area of the affected tooth. Next a small window into the bone that holds the tooth is made to access and see the root tip and the infection. A small piece of the end of the root is cut, and the infection with the small piece are removed. The end of the root, or the area known as the canal, is then sealed to prevent re-infection.

After the area is all cleaned out, the gums are sutured back into place. The bone that was damaged from the infection as well as the removed portion from the surgery will grow back along the root over several months.

What happens next?

After the surgery, the area will be sore for a short while. We will provide you with any necessary medication to get you through this time. As the healing occurs the tooth and the area will begin to feel better.

You will want to see your general dentist for any necessary work on the crown of the tooth (the portion that you see in your mouth). We will follow you closely to make sure that the healing is going well, and this usually requires periodic x-rays for a while after surgery.

Are there any other options?
Usually the only other option is extraction. In some cases this may be the necessary treatment or after evaluating the situation you may decide that extraction and tooth replacement by another means is better for you.

Teeth can be replaced with an implant, bridge or partial denture. If you have any questions about an apicoectomy or other procedures, please give us a call or set up a consultation so we can review your options with you.