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Diagnoses

Failing endodontic treatment

Common treatment options

In most dental situations, you have the time to evaluate your treatment choices. No treatment is always an option, but may not be in your best interest. If you elect to be treated, there is often more than one way to proceed. Common treatment options for this diagnosis are listed on this page.

Your dentist or endodontist may recommend surgically removing the apex of the tooth's root instead of, or in addition to re-treating it. This procedure is known as an "apicoectomy". The resulting hollow root tip may or may not require a special type of filling known as a "retrograde filling", or simply "retrofill".

More commonly, the dentist or endodontist will recommend re-doing the root canal (endodontic treatment) conventionally—through a hole made in the crown of the tooth. In some cases, the tooth may not be feasible to save, and your dentist may recommend removing it. There are also cases in which infection around the roots of the tooth did not originate inside the tooth root. These cases are generally treated by surgical periodontal procedures.

More information on dental procedures

Endodontic treatment
Dental procedure image: Endodontic treatment
Endodontic treatment is a dental procedure in which inflamed, infected, or necrotic (dead) nerve and blood vessel tissues are removed from a tooth to alleviate pain and swelling...
Radiographs
Dental procedure image: Radiographs (X-rays)
Radiographs, ("X-rays") are used by dental health professionals to evaluate hard tissue (teeth and bones) for signs of disease process or abnormalities...
Simple extractions
Dental procedure image: Simple extractions
Simple (or "closed") extraction is a tooth removal procedure in which no soft tissue incision is made, and the tooth is not divided into sections to remove it...
Surgical extractions
Dental procedure image: Surgical extractions
Surgical extraction is a tooth removal procedure in which surgical access is required to completely remove a tooth...