Your teeth are affected by regular wear and tear every day. The wear and tear can leave you with cracked teeth or other dental injuries that routinely allow bacteria to accumulate within the chips or cracks. The bacteria don’t just sit on your teeth to have a good time but have harmful intentions and begin feasting on the starches and sugars you have to infect your natural tooth. When the infection is not treated in the earliest stages, when you develop tooth pain and sensitivity, you need treatment from a specialist to perform endodontic surgery.
Although many surgical procedures are performed to save an infected tooth, the most common performed by the Phoenix dentist is apicoectomy. The endodontic specialist performs this procedure when inflammation or infection exists in the bony area at the end of your tooth after root canal treatment.
Endodontists also perform other types of surgeries, including dividing a tooth in half, repairing a root with injuries, and removing one or more roots in your tooth. The Phoenix dentist is always happy to discuss the unique surgery your tooth requires.
In some cases, a specific procedure known as intentional re-implantation is performed. In this treatment, the tooth is extracted, provided endodontic therapy while it is outside the mouth, and then replaced into the socket. All procedures are performed with the sole aim of preserving your tooth.
Surgery of any kind causes some discomfort, and endodontic procedures are not an exception. The endodontic specialist ensures your comfort by administering anesthesia. You will undoubtedly experience some discomfort after the procedure with swelling during the healing process. What you share is familiar with every surgical procedure. Your endodontist recommends appropriate pain medications, either over-the-counter or prescribed, to alleviate your discomfort.
Your endodontist provides specific post-operative instructions to follow. However, if you experience pain not responding to the medications or have any questions, you must call your endodontist for answers.
If you received local anesthesia, you would encounter no challenges driving yourself back home. However, it helps to enquire with your endodontist before your appointment to ensure you make transportation arrangements if required. If you are anxious about dental procedures and need intravenous anesthesia or oral sedation, you may require help while returning home.
The Phoenix Dentist suggests the endodontic procedure because they believe it is most beneficial to preserve your natural tooth. However, no surgical procedure in the world guarantees success. The Phoenix dentist discusses your chances for success to help you make an informed decision. However, the success depends on you following the dentist’s instructions stringently to make sure you aren’t on the wrong foot if at all, the procedure fails.
You undoubtedly need a day’s rest to allow your healing to progress appropriately. Most patients return to work or perform routine activities the day after the procedure. However, every case is unique, and it will help if you discussed the situation with your endodontist, who will be happy to talk about the expected recovery time for your situation.
In most cases, the only alternative to endodontic surgery is tooth removal. The extracted tooth needs replacement in your mouth with a dental implant, bridge, or partial denture. Failure to replace the extracted tooth results in chewing problems, and the neighboring teeth begin to shift. The alternatives for endodontic procedures require surgery on your adjacent teeth, costing a significant sum of money.
You must understand that even high-quality tooth replacement solutions can never replicate your natural tooth. Therefore you must invest in what you have and choose endodontic surgery because it provides a healthy and functional natural tooth for life.