Root Resection

The removal of the root tip is one of the most serious and most complex dental interventions. It could even be listed among tooth conserving treatments, however, since it is much more complex than the insertion of an onlay, inlay, etc., it is listed among oral surgery treatments.

Amputation, that is resection of the root tip is performed when the filling of the root cannot be done due to any cause – or the dentist, based on the X-ray picture, considers the filling of the root has been unsuccessful and the root has been inflamed.

The root tip resection is the last intervention after (or instead of) the filling and before tooth extraction. Root-filling cannot be performed if the root has a shape which the equipment used during root filling cannot be inserted in. In this case the dentist applies amputation in order to achieve the possible best results. If, despite the filling, the root tip becomes inflamed (the six months X-ray explores it), actually the situation is the same as the tooth was not filled at all therefore the solution is the same: the root tip must be cut off.

This operation requires thorough and careful preparation. As a part, panoramic X-ray and small X-ray pictures are taken, then the intervention can be performed on the freshly filled root, or if the filling is old, then it must be replaced by a possible most perfect filling first.

This is followed by total anaesthesia, and then the doctor cuts the part above the root. After removing the root of the tooth the doctor may insert synthetic bone (of course, bio-material) depending on the condition of the tooth, and finally, closes the operation location. Stitches are taken out after seven days. The results of the operation must be checked regularly, that is every six months.