Root End Surgery Costa Rica

DRA.ARLETTE OCONITRILLO, ENDODONCIST SPECIALIST, UNIVERSIDAD LATINA DE COSTA RICA

Periapical surgery is the treatment of choice when everything else has failed or in those cases where a re-treatment is not feasible (e. g. when canals are not accessible due to obstructions, unremovable cemented posts, etc). Instead of approaching the problem through the tooth, this type of surgery approaches the root tip directly entering from the gum and bone. During the procedure, the tip of the root is identified eliminating a very small piece of it (the last 3 millimeters) together with the lesion. This procedure is called "apicectomy". Afterwards, a small hole is prepared in the tip of the root, which is then sealed with a material that precludes the microfiltration of contaminant elements from the tooth to the surrounding supporting tissues.

Root canal therapy ("Endodontics") is a dental procedure that involves making an opening in the chewing surface of a tooth and removing the infected pulp tissue within that tooth. To be successful, it requires the precise cleaning, disinfecting and shaping of this tissue in the affected tooth and the space (the root canal) in which this tissue resides. Once this is accomplished, the root canal is tightly sealed so that no bacteria can enter and re-infect the tooth. After the space is cleaned and shaped, the endodontist fills the root canals with a biocompatible material, usually a rubber-like material called “gutta-percha. ” The gutta-percha is placed with an adhesive cement to ensure complete sealing of the root canals. In most cases, a temporary filling is placed to close the opening. The temporary filling will be removed by your dentist before the tooth is restored. After the final visit with your endodontist, you must return to your dentist to have a crown or other restoration placed on the tooth to protect and restore it to full function.