When further dental issues occur with a tooth that has had root canal treatment, Dr. Joseph C. Styger may recommend apicoectomy in San Francisco, California. New infections may occur with a tooth that has had root canal treatment for several reasons. If the tooth has more than the normal number of root canals, one of them may have been left uncleaned. A crack in the tooth root can cause infection as well. A defective crown or restoration may allow bacteria to enter the inner areas of the tooth, recontaminating the area. In some cases, the sealing materials inside of the tooth will break down over time. If this occurs, bacteria can enter the tooth and recontaminate it.
Apicoectomy is the most common endodontic surgery that is used to save a tooth with new infections after root canal therapy. Apiocoectomy removes the inflammation and infection around your tooth root. When performing this procedure, our dentist will open the gum tissue and remove the infected tissues around the tooth root. In many cases, it is necessary to remove the end of the tooth root as well. If this is the case, our dentist will place a small filling to close the root canal.
We encourage you to contact our dental office today to learn more and to schedule an appointment.
