Apicoectomy

Apical Surgery

 

When root canal treatment is not enough to resolve infection from the root tip of a tooth, apical surgery is necessary. Apical surgery involves removing a portion of the root tip and sealing the root canal. Cleveland endodontist Dr. Najia Usman recommends apical surgery to patients in order to remove infection from the tip of the root of a tooth when a root canal is not enough to get rid of a root canal infection.

What is Apical Surgery?

When a root canal fails, apical surgery (or apicoectomy) is the procedure to correct it.

Preparing for Apical Surgery

Dr. Usman will have you start preparing for your surgery and provide you with aftercare instructions and necessary prescriptions well in advance so you are ready to go when the day arrives. If you smoke or use other tobacco products, you will be required to quit using them before your apical surgery.

Before and after surgery, you will be directed to discontinue taking medications and supplements that can thin the blood, such as ibuprofen, aspirin and vitamin E.

Abstain from alcohol for one week before the procedure, and do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before.

Will I be under sedation or anesthesia during apical surgery?

Local or general anesthesia are used prior to apical surgery. An incision is made in the gum tissue to expose underlying bone and the root of the tooth. A part of the root tip is removed and retro filling is required to seal the canal. The gum is then placed back into position and sutured.

Recovering from Apical Surgery

The recovery period for apical surgery is brief. Soreness and swelling are usually gone by 14 days after the procedure. Anti-inflammatories, antibiotics or pain killers are generally prescribed by the doctor.

Apical Surgery in Cleveland, Ohio

The Visage Surgical Institute is located in Medina, Ohio and serves local apical surgery patients, as well as those from the greater Medina, Cleveland, Columbus, Akron, Parma, Brunswick, Solon, Fairlawn, Cleveland Heights, Hudson, Wadsworth, Cuyahoga Falls, Strongsville & Kent metro areas. For more information about apical surgery, or to schedule a consultation with Cleveland endodontist Dr. Najia Usman, please call Visage Surgical Institute Medina Office Phone Number 330-721-2323.