A root canal is a minimally invasive, nonsurgical endodontic treatment. The procedure is preformed under local anesthesia and involves opening the crown of the tooth, exposing the roots and pulp of the tooth. When the pulp and root is exposed the infected areas of the tooth are removed.

Once the diseased area is removed from the tooth the inside of the tooth is clean, shaped and filled. After the tooth is filled and sealed a crown is applied to the tooth and cemented into place.

This crown will give the tooth extra protection and strength to the tooth.

Occasionally, as with any procedure, a tooth may not heal properly after the initial root canal. This can happen for several reasons such as:

• Curved or narrow canals cause complications during the initial procedure.

• The root of the tooth may have had complicated anatomy making it difficult to detect problem areas.

• The filling and seal was inadequate and allowed contamination inside the tooth.

• The crown placement of the crown or restoration was delayed allowing reinfection to occur.

Depending on the condition of the tooth multiple treatments may be necessary to take care of the diseased tooth.

An Apicoectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the damaged root and surrounding bone that has been affected by the infection. The endodontist will make a small incision in the gum tissue, this will expose the bone and inflamed area. The infected root tip and tissue will then be removed. A root end filling may be placed and the gum tissue is sutured to its original location.

Dental Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CT) is a special type of x-ray equipment used when regular dental or facial x-rays are not sufficient. Your doctor may use this technology to produce three dimensional (3-D) images of your teeth, soft tissues, nerve pathways and bone in a single scan.