119-66 80th Road, 1A
Kew Gardens, New York 11415
Tel: (718)-544-8888
APICAL SURGERY
Generally, a root canal is all that is needed to save teeth with injured pulp. Occasionally, this non-surgical procedure is not sufficient enough to heal the tooth and your endodontist will recommend apical surgery. Endodontic surgery can be used to locate fractures or hidden canals that do not appear on X-rays, but still manifest pain in the tooth. Damaged root surfaces or the surrounding bone may also be treated with this procedure. The most common surgery used to save damaged teeth is an apicoectomy or root-end resection.
A surgical procedure is done to clean the inflamed tissue and root canals of the problematic tooth. The damaged tissue is removed along with the end of the root tip. A root-end filling is placed to prevent reinfection of the root and the gum is sealed. The bone naturally heals around the root over a period of months restoring full function.
Following the procedure, there may be some discomfort or slight swelling while the incision heals. This is normal for any surgical procedure. To alleviate any discomfort, appropriate medication will be recommended if needed. If you have pain that does not respond to medication, please call our office.