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apicoectomy is a surgical procedure that attempts to remove infection,
usually the result of a failed root canal surgery, from the tip
of the tooth root (apex), the are where nerves and blood vessels
enter the tooth and travel through a canal inside the root, and
into the pulp chamber, which is inside the crown, or the part of
the tooth visible in the mouth. During root-canal treatment, the
canals are cleaned, and inflamed or infected nerve tissue is removed.
Root-canal systems are very complicated with many small, off-shooting
branches. Sometimes, even after root-canal treatment, infected debris
can remain in these branches and possibly prevent healing or cause
re-infection later. |
An
Apicoectomy, or Root-End Resection, is the removal of the root tip
and the surrounding infected tissue of an abscessed tooth. This
procedure may be necessary when inflammation and infection persists
in the area around the root tip after Root canal Therapy or Root canal Retreatment.
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Step One
After the tooth is "numbed", the
gum is reflected (lifted) to uncover the underlying bone and the
root end of the tooth. The root-end is resected (removed) with all
the surrounding infected tissue.
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Step Two :
A root-end filling is placed to seal the end of the root canal,
the gum is repositioned, and a few dissolvable sutures (stitches)
are placed to hold the gum tissue back in its place until healing
occurs.
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Step Three:
After a few months, the bone around the root-end has healed, and
all symptoms are gone.
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