
Should you develop a dental infection, we can offer relief with a root canal. But what if the infection forms at the tip of your tooth roots? In these situations, we could help with a root canal surgery, known as a root-end resection or an apicoectomy. In today’s blog, your El Paso, TX, dentist talks about root canal surgery and when your tooth may need one!
The Presence of an Infection
When should you schedule an appointment with an endodontist? Our team can provide endodontic care to take on infected teeth and preserve your smile, so you avoid worsening pain and the risk of losing your tooth. You should consider an appointment with our team when you experience pain in a tooth that doesn’t subside after a day or two, or if you have discomfort when you eat. Swelling near the tooth, a discharge from it, or pain in the face and jaw, could also be signs that you need to see our team. Remember, without treatment an infection could lead to tooth loss and a gap in your smile!
The Apicoectomy
In most cases, the infection is located in the interior of the tooth itself, and is treated with a root canal, which allows us to remove the tissues from within and replace them with a special filling, all before capping the tooth with a crown. But if the infection is located in the roots, or at the tip of the roots, then treatment may involve an apicoectomy, or a root-end resection. This root canal surgery involves our team numbing an area of the gums so we can open them and access the tip of the root directly. Our team will then remove the tip, take out the infected tissues, and the cap the tip once again. Afterward, our team will close the area and suture it shut. This halts the painful infection and provides relief for your smile.
Ensuring Your Comfort
We know the idea of surgery could be anxiety-inducing. We mentioned numbing the area above, using a local anesthetic to ensure the process is comfortable. But if you have high anxiety levels or special needs that impact your ability to undergo treatment, we could offer sedation to help you enter a deep state of calm. You stay comfortable and relaxed, and have little to no memory of the procedure.
If you have any questions about how we save your tooth with a root canal surgery, then contact our team today.
Do You Have Questions About the Apicoectomy?
When you need root canal surgery, we can offer this with comfort and precision. To schedule an appointment for a root-end resection with Omni Endo in El Paso, TX, please call 915.990.3636.