What is Apical Root Resection?

Is it possible to save teeth from extraction if root canal treatment fails?

Due to many factors such as cysts, persistent infection, excessively curved root canals, blocked root canals and the presence of broken instruments, root canal treatment may sometimes not be sufficient to restore teeth to health. Apical root resection is a successful treatment approach to save these teeth from extraction where root canal treatment is inadequate or unsuccessful.

What is Apical Root Resection?

Apical root resection is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of a certain part of the root tip and the infected tissue around the root of teeth that cannot be saved by root canal treatment alone. Apical root resection is a treatment approach that is applied to keep teeth in the mouth where root canal treatment alone is insufficient and has the potential to prevent tooth extraction.

In Which Teeth Can Apical Root Resection Be Performed?

-Teeth with cysts at the root tip,

– In teeth where the infection in the root canal has spread to the surrounding tissues and there is a stubborn infection in the surrounding tissues that cannot be solved by root canal treatment alone,

-In teeth where the entire root cannot be reached with root canal treatment,

-In teeth where the root canal instrument was broken in the root during previous root canal treatment,

– In teeth that have been filled with root canal filling longer than they should have been during the previous root canal treatment, that is, in an overflowing manner,

By applying apical root resection, your teeth can be saved from extraction.

Is Ther Pain During Apical Root Resection?

Since the relevant area will be completely numbed, there is no pain during the procedure.

 How is Apical Root Resection Performed?

The relevant tooth area is numbed by applying a local anesthetic. Then, the gum and bone tissue on the tooth to be root resected is removed and the approximately 3 mm tip of the tooth root is cut and removed. In addition, infected tissues around the root and pathological tissues such as cysts are also removed at this stage. Then, a cavity about 3 mm deep is created at the tip of the root and this cavity is filled using a material compatible with the surrounding tissues. Thus, a barrier is created between the canal filling in the root and the surrounding tissues, preventing the tooth from becoming re-infected. After this procedure, the surgical area is closed and sutured. The stitches are removed 2 to 7 days after the procedure.

How Long Does the Apical Root Resection Procedure Take?

Apical root resection is a procedure that takes approximately 45-90 minutes depending on the ease of surgical access in the mouth of the tooth to be treated.

Is There Pain or Swelling After Apical Root Resection?

Although not always, pain and swelling may occur in the surrounding tissues after apical root resection. This condition usually returns to normal within 4-7 days.  The use of over-the-counter painkillers is sufficient for post-procedure pain.

Is Antibiotic Use Necessary After Apical Root Resection?

Antibiotics do not need to be routinely prescribed after apical root resection.