San Antonio Root Canal Surgery

Sometimes, retreatment isn’t enough to save a tooth after a failed root canal. In those cases, root canal surgery may be the best option. Surgery takes place in our office with local anesthesia. If you are anxious about the appointment, we have sedation available also.

Who Needs Root Canal Surgery?

If other efforts to save your tooth have been unsuccessful, you may need surgery. Causes can include:

• Calcified roots
• Canals that can’t be located from inside the tooth
• A canal blocked from a broken dental file or other instrument
• The presence of a cemented post
• Persistent infection

It’s possible for delicate root canal instruments to break inside the tooth, even when the dentist is careful. Sometimes, with our advanced training and equipment, we can navigate around the broken instrument. But if we can’t, we will recommend root canal surgery.

What to Expect During Endodontic Surgery

Root canal surgery consists of two parts: apicoectomy and retrofilling. Apicoectomy is the surgical excision of the tooth’s root tip, or apex. When a root canal is unsuccessful, debris and infection can leak through the apical foramen, a tiny hole in the apex. The tooth’s nerve, vein, and artery pass through the apical foramen. This is how infection moves from inside the tooth to the surrounding bone.

To access the tooth’s apex, we make a precise incision in the gum at the base of the affected tooth. Then, we drill a small hole in the bone to access the root tip. Finally, we remove the root tip and the infected tissue, and we clean the excision site.

Retrofilling protects your tooth from infection after apicoectomy. After removing the tooth’s apex, we will do a small preparation on the apex of the tooth and place biocompatible material in the preparation, sealing the tooth. Then, we close the site with sutures.

Sedation for Root Canal Surgery

For many patients, novocain is sufficient anesthetic for root canal surgery. However, some people need sedation due to dental anxiety. We offer both oral sedation and nitrous oxide. Click the link for more information on sedation options.

To make an appointment at Oak Hills Endodontics for root canal surgery, please call our office at 210-342-2444. You can also fill out our appointment request form, and we will call you.