Root canals are common and well-known procedures to many patients, but an apicoectomy may not be as familiar. Also known as “root-end surgery,” an apicoectomy is often performed when circumstances disallow traditional root canal therapy. Typically, when a tooth becomes infected due to decay or trauma, treatment involves either root canals or extraction. If root canal therapy is unsuccessful and a tooth suffers from recurring infection or has roots too curved to be accessed safely, an apicoectomy is often the next and final attempt to save the tooth before it must be removed. Apicoectomy procedures fall under the branch of dentistry called endodontics, which deals with problems related to the dental pulp. For your safety and the predictability of your care, we are pleased to have our own endodontist on staff at our Miami Beach, FL office. With specialized and advanced training in oral conditions affecting the inside of teeth, he is specifically qualified to perform apicoectomy procedures and does so on a routine basis. If you visit our office for tooth pain and we recommend an apicoectomy, your infection can be treated safely and effectively within our same office and under the experienced care of our skilled endodontist!
An apicoectomy is a fairly straightforward surgical procedure that can restore the health of your tooth, bone, and gum tissue. Our Miami Beach, FL endodontist leverages magnification tools and dental instruments to increase accuracy, helping your treatment be fast, effective, and comfortable. When the area is fully numbed, we make incisions in the gum tissue to gain access to the top of the root for removal of the infection and damaged gum tissue, along with a few millimeters of the actual root end. Material is then placed in the root canal to seal the area and prevent further infection. If the treated area needs bone grafting to aid in new bone growth, this is completed before the gum tissue is returned to its normal position and sutured in place. For most patients, the area is fully healed two weeks after the procedure, though you can return to daily activities and work the next day.
