What
is an Apicoectomy?
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.
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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Post-Treatment
Instructions
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