Apicoectomy
Root Canal Surgery in Vienna, VA
Your oral surgeon or dentist may have recommended apicoectomy surgery in Vienna, VA or surrounding communities to try to save your tooth.
An apicoectomy is an oral surgical treatment performed when a patient has an infection inside the tooth root. This infection can develop in the front teeth, which have one root, and at the back of the mouth in the premolars and molars, which have two roots. Infections inside the tooth root cannot be easily seen from the outside because they occur deep within the canal of the root, which acts as a roadway for nerves and blood vessels between the apex of the root (the tip) and the inside of the crown, also known as the pulp chamber.
Root canal therapy can often resolve infections within the tooth root; however, you may need an apicoectomy if the tooth develops another infection after treatment or if the problem persists. This treatment, also known as endodontic microsurgery, ensures that the tooth root does not develop additional infections or complications.
Why Do I Need An Apicoectomy?
The purpose of an apicoectomy is to lessen and alleviate any problems with the infected tooth root before the patient loses the tooth. Some of the most common reasons dental professionals recommend an apicoectomy include
- Curved or Narrow Root Canals
Root canal therapy may not be successful in teeth with curved or narrow root canals because the shape prevents the dentist or surgeon from properly caring for the infected area. If this is the case, continued infection can occur, and an apicoectomy is often recommended. - Small Root Branches
The small branches that connect to the tooth root and keep it anchored solidly within the jaw can be difficult to clean and seal during root canal therapy due to their size. This can result in continued inflammation, and an apicoectomy may be recommended. - A Block in the Root Canal
In some cases, when a tooth has already undergone root canal therapy once, debris from the procedure may block the root canal. When the dentist attempts a second root canal, he or she may find the canal blocked, and an apicoectomy may be necessary to take care of the problem.
If you are in need of an apicoectomy, you will be referred by your dentist to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for your procedure. Before treatment, your surgeon will perform an oral examination and may take additional X-rays or 3D scans to develop the safest and most efficient method of solving the problem. During the procedure, the doctor uses a microscope to clean and seal the canal of the infected tooth root. This treatment takes approximately 30–90 minutes depending on the tooth being treated (front or back) and the severity of the problem. If your dentist recommends an apicoectomy, we encourage you to contact our office.
What To Expect After Apicoectomy Surgery
Eventually, after several months, the cavity in the bone surrounding the tooth will fill in with new bone completing the healing process. One may ask, how successful is this technique? The overall success is 80-85% when measured at ten years of time. A ten-year success will most likely continue to hold up for the life of the tooth. This is all the more remarkable when one considers that the procedure is typically performed on failing teeth to begin with. The downside of apicoectomy is primarily that it requires a surgical procedure to be performed and there is a brief postoperative recovery period to negotiate. The surgery itself is performed in our oral surgery office operating suite with either local anesthesia, IV sedation, or general anesthesia. While many patients prefer to have only a local anesthetic (the administration of numbing medicine to the area being worked on) more often, patients choose to be asleep or sedated. That is a decision best left up to the doctor and patient and can be explored more fully during your consultation visit.
Where Can I get Root Canal Surgery Near Vienna, VA?
Our board-certified oral surgeon at Virginia Oral Surgery Specialists located in Vienna, VA, is a specialist in performing oral and maxillofacial procedures and treatments, including the apicoectomy procedure. Dr. Dawood services the entire greater Northern Virginia area.
