When Your Infection Needs Root Canal Surgery

When a person has an infected tooth, we often help with a simple root canal procedure. But what if the infection is located at the end of a tooth root? In this situation, you may need an apicoectomy, also known as a root-end resection. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, endodontist talks about our approach to root canal surgery.

The Causes and Warning Signs of Infection

What causes a tooth to become infected? This could be due to an injury to the tooth or a cavity that isn’t treated, which could eventually expose the sensitive inner pulp to bacteria, causing the tooth to become infected. When this occurs, you could begin to experience pain when you bite down or chew, tooth sensitivity, or toothaches that grow in severity with time. There could be pain in the face or jaw, as well as headaches, swelling, or even a discharge from the tooth. When symptoms like these occur, you need to see our team right away for treatment.

When You Need An Apicoectomy

Typically, the infected tissues are in the interior of the tooth. Which means we can numb the tooth, open it and remove the interior tissues, and then complete the procedure with a special filling and a custom crown. But if the infection occurs at the tip of the root, we may need to take another approach. With root canal surgery, our team will numb the portion of the gums near the tip of the tooth so we can open the area and access the tip. We then remove the tip of the tooth so we can remove the infected tissues. We add a medicated material and then cap the root end. The area is sutured and we will monitor your healing progress with a follow-up visit. This could be essential for preventing the spread of infection!

Safeguarding Your Tooth

To help you reduce your risk of infection, be sure you see your general dentist for a checkup and cleaning every six months. At home, make time to brush your teeth each day in the morning and at night for two minutes, and floss every evening before bed too. Try to cut back on the amount of sugar and starch in your diet too. These actions help lower the risk of tooth decay and an infected tooth. If you have any questions about how we conduct an apicoectomy, or if you have persistent pain in a tooth that needs attention, then contact our team.

Do You Have Questions About Root Canal Surgery?

An apicoectomy could help save your smile from tooth loss and the spread of infection. To schedule an appointment for a root-end resection with Omni Endo in El Paso, TX, please call 915.990.3636.