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Key Takeaways
- Endodontic surgery is recommended when a root canal or retreatment does not fully resolve infection or damage.
- The goal of these procedures is to preserve your natural tooth and prevent extraction.
- Root amputation removes one root of a multi-rooted tooth (often upper molars) when only a single root is infected or fractured.
- Apicoectomy removes the tip (apex) of the root when infection or complications persist after root canal treatment.
- Both procedures are last-resort options designed to stop infection, prevent bone loss, and save your natural tooth.
- Without treatment, the infection can spread, jeopardizing the tooth and surrounding structures, often leading to extraction.
Root amputation and apicoectomy are two important endodontics procedures that may be your options if you’re suffering from infection or tooth fracture. Although similar in nature, these procedures have distinct differences.
The reason you’d get a root amputation or apicoectomy is if you had a tooth that received a root canal treatment that didn’t completely solve the issue. After a root canal, certain problems can arise that endodontic retreatment can’t fix. If left untreated, those problems could lead to losing the tooth.
Here’s what to know about an endodontic surgery, a root amputation and apicoectomy procedure.
[Related: Your Guide to Endodontic CT Scans]
What Is an Endodontic Surgery?
Endodontic surgery refers to a set of advanced dental procedures designed to treat infections or complications that arise within the root of a tooth. These surgeries are:
- Often recommended when traditional root canal therapy is insufficient to resolve the issue.
- The goal is to preserve the natural tooth and prevent the need for extraction.
Two common types of endodontic surgery include root amputation and apicoectomy, each with its own specific purpose, techniques, and benefits.
Endodontics Procedures FAQ
- Why do I need endodontics procedures?
You need endodontic treatment when your tooth pulp has grown infected, inflamed or otherwise damaged.
Your primary care dentist may determine this, then refer you to an endodontist. Alternatively, your primary dentist may be an endodontist.
- What does “endodontics procedures” mean?
Endodontics procedures are dental health treatments that involve the inside of your tooth — the pulp, surrounding tissue and nerves. “Endo” means “inside,” while “odont” (or “dontic”) means “tooth” in Greek. An example of endodontic treatment is a root canal.
Endodontics procedures aren’t limited to root canal treatment. They include apicoectomies, root amputations and more.
Root Amputation
What Is a Root Amputation?
Root amputation is the surgical removal of a multi-rooted tooth. Your endodontist generally performs it on the upper molars because they have three roots.
They usually give root amputation treatment to eliminate infection or prevent further bone loss in an area where infection or tooth fracture has caused it.
What Type of Tooth Qualifies for a Root Amputation?
Your tooth is a good root amputation candidate if a root on which you had root canal treatment suffers from any of these:
- Embedded bacteria
- Severe bone loss due to infection or fracture
- Decay in a concentrated area
If the root suffers from decay, the remainder of the roots need to have sufficient bone to support the tooth. Essentially, if the issue affects only one root and the remaining tooth structure is healthy, your endodontist can successfully perform a root amputation to save your tooth.
[Related: How To Deal With Tooth Pain]
What Happens if I Don’t Get a Root Amputation?
If left untreated, the infection or decay can spread to the surrounding areas and result in bone loss. This jeopardizes the stability of not only the tooth but also the surrounding teeth.
Eventually, the problem will compromise the whole tooth, and your dentist will need to extract it.
Removing one root can help save the tooth and prevent you from needing extraction and replacement with a partial, bridge or implant.
Apicoectomy
What Is an Apicoectomy?
An apicoectomy is the removal of the tip (or apex) of the tooth’s root.
Your endodontist usually performs an apicoectomy after a root canal treatment if the infection didn’t completely resolve or you have infection at the apical foramen.
What Type of Tooth Qualifies for an Apicoectomy?
Issues near the tip of the root cause most problems in teeth that have undergone root canals. An endodontist performs apicoectomies when endodontic retreatment won’t be effective.
Indications for an apicoectomy include the following:
- Infection after root canal treatment or retreatment
- Inability to clean a root canal blocked by a broken file that your dentist can’t remove
- A fracture or crack on the apical portion of a tooth root
- A curved root canal that prevents endodontic files from reaching the root’s apex
- Calcification in the tooth that prevents endodontic files from reaching the apex
An apicoectomy is often your last resort to save a tooth before extraction.
[Related: Addressing Common Concerns About Root Canals]
Contact Cascadia Dental Specialists To Learn More
Are you unsure whether you need a root amputation or apicoectomy? Schedule an appointment!
Feel free to check out our patient testimonials for more about how we serve your apicoectomy needs, as well as other endodontics procedures.
