Hearing the words, “You need a root surgery,” can seem to make you feel as uncomfortable as the tooth condition itself. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Surgical endodontics can be performed by our board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Bartlomiej Nierzwicki, at his office in Chicago, IL, with a caring and compassionate staff, who are highly trained in IV sedation and other forms of anesthesia. Dr. Nierzwicki will remove the damaged area of the tooth root and any infection around it. Dr. Nierzwicki sees patients of all ages to treat the damaged tissues outside of the tooth root when it becomes inflamed or infected and causes great discomfort. With a referral from your dentist, you can call our team at Millennium Surgical, and schedule your first appointment to be assessed for your surgical root surgery.

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Reasons for Treatment

Generally, a root canal is all that is needed to save teeth with injured pulp from extraction. Occasionally, this non-surgical procedure will not be sufficient to heal the tooth and your endodontist or dentist will recommend root surgery. Endodontic surgery can be used to locate fractures or hidden canals that do not appear on x-rays but still manifest pain in the tooth. Damaged root surfaces or the surrounding bone may also be treated with this procedure. The most common surgery used to save damaged teeth is an apicoectomy or root-end resection.

During the Procedure

A root end surgery, also known as apicoectomy, root resection, retrograde root canal treatment or root-end filling, is an endodontic micro-surgical procedure whereby a tooth’s root tip is removed and a root end cavity is prepared and filled with a biocompatible material.

An incision is made in the gum tissue to expose the bone and surrounding inflamed tissue. The damaged tissue is removed along with the end of the root tip. A root-end filling is placed to prevent reinfection of the root and the gum is sutured. The bone naturally heals around the root over a period of months restoring full function.

Other Considerations

Following the procedure, there may be some discomfort or slight swelling while the incision heals. This is normal for any surgical procedure. To alleviate any discomfort, an appropriate pain medication will be recommended. If you have pain that does not respond to medication, please call our office.

Plan Your Procedure

Recovery Time   2 – 3 Days
Post-op Follow-up   As Needed
Procedure Recovery Location   Office

Heal & Restore

Our oral surgery practice has professionally trained surgical assistants, and a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon who can treat your painful, damaged teeth with endodontic surgery. Your dentist may have referred you for a root surgery, and our esteemed team can help prevent inevitable problems in the future, and stop the pain today. To keep your teeth strong, call our office today for a consultation.