If you have severe tooth pain that your dentist has determined is resistant to healing, it may be necessary to seek the help of a specialist called an endodontist. Sometimes endodontic surgery is needed to fully restore your tooth and relieve your pain. If you are referred to an endodontist, here is some information to help you understand what that means.
An endodontist specializes in the roots of your teeth. The heart of your tooth can be damaged from deep decay, large fillings, repeated dental procedures, tooth cracks or chips, or trauma. These types of damage can cause severe oral pain, and you’re going to want to get it repaired in order to feel good again. An endodontist receives lengthy training in performing all parts of root canal treatment, including both routine and complicated root canals, retreatments, and endodontic surgery.
Endodontic surgery, called an apicoectomy, is especially useful for patients who have a tooth that isn’t healing and needs more extensive examination to identify the problem. Surgery may be the only way to diagnose the issue and get treatment that will fully heal the tooth and the pain associated with it. Your endodontist can find fractures or canals in your tooth that are harming your teeth and gums, leading to oral pain. Endodontic surgery is also a solution for patients with damaged root surfaces, because the surface and surrounding bone are also treated during surgery.
During the surgery, the gums near your affected tooth will be opened to allow examination of the underlying bone. Infected or swollen tissues will be removed, as well as the tip of the tooth’s root. These samples will be sent to a lab for analysis to aid your endodontist in identifying the reason for your pain. Once the sample has been collected, your gums will be sutured for proper healing.
Sometimes the reasons for oral pain aren’t obvious or easily diagnosed. If this happens to you, don’t hesitate to visit an endodontist for possible surgery to help with diagnosis and treatment to get rid of your tooth pain.