Apical Resection

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Apical resection is an operation to remove infected tissue at the tip of the tooth root. This treatment method is ideal for conditions such as chronic apical lesions.

Apical resection is a surgical procedure to treat inflammation in the tooth root. In this surgery, also known asroot tip surgery, both infections and tooth decay can be treated in a controlled manner. This operation is especially performed to control health problems that occur during serious treatments such as root canal treatment. In addition, apical resection is also known as tooth rescue surgery because in many cases it has been used as a last resort to save the tooth.

In Which Cases Is Apical Resection Performed?

Tooth decay

Tooth decay is usually caused by some wrong actions taken by the individual or by not taking adequate dental care. Although tooth decay may seem quite superficial and harmless at first, it can actually cause inflammation in the tooth root. In tooth root inflammation that may be caused by caries, treatments such as classical canal treatments are primarily used. However, at the point where these treatments do not yield results, apical resection, which is the end treatment of the tooth root, can be performed. Apical resection, one of the subtle and effective treatment methods in the field of tooth root surgery, can offer an effective solution to tooth root inflammation caused by caries.

Tooth Injuries

Tooth injuries can have a negative impact not only on the appearance of the tooth but also on its overall health. The damage caused by the injury can lead to tooth root infections. At this point, various treatment methods may come into play. Apical resection, one of these treatment methods, offers a fast and effective solution for infection removal.

In addition, the infection that occurs as a result of dental injuries can be quite insidious and may not be recognized at an early stage. In such cases, the infection is not recognized until it becomes so severe that the person becomes very uncomfortable. If the infection is not detected at an early stage, it can lead to no results from methods such as classical root canal treatment. It may therefore be necessary to resort to apical resection to eliminate the infection.

Movements that Damage the Tooth

Although only traumas caused by external factors come to mind when it comes to tooth-damaging movements, this is actually not the case. Some individuals may exhibit teeth clenching and grinding continuously for various reasons or even if there is no reason. Although teeth grinding and clenching may seem harmless at first, it can even lead to dental inflammation if it is exhibited for long periods of time. Apical resection can also be chosen as a treatment method for inflammation caused by grinding and squeezing.

Chronic Apical Lesion

Chronic apical lesion, also known as chronic apical abscess, is a health problem. This health problem is caused by an inflammatory reaction in the root canal system. If the inflammatory reaction becomes recurrent, it is considered a chronic apical lesion.

In addition, patients with chronic apical lesions usually do not experience symptoms related to the lesion. Therefore, the infectious condition causing the chronic apical lesion cannot be controlled at an early stage and the situation can become very bad. This is where an apical resection operation may come into play.

How is Appical Resection Performed?

Pre-Interview

In the apical resection operation, as with any operation, a preliminary interview is held. During this preliminary consultation, you will need to share various information with your dentist. The information you need to share is information about your general health condition and the reason for apical resection. Your dentist will first examine the dental x-rays you have had taken, if any, or the dental x-rays taken at his/her request. By examining this x-ray and performing an intraoral examination, he/she will check your infection status. During these checks, the location of the infected tissue and the level of spread of the infection are determined. This will determine the infected tissue or tooth root tip to be removed by surgery.

Operation

The operation stage, which is the stage where the apical resection procedure takes place, is very critical. At this stage, a local anesthesia needle is used to make the operation more painless. This injection can be especially useful for people who are afraid of the dentist or have a low pain threshold. During the operation, a window is opened on the gum. Through this window, the inflamed area in the gum tissue is cleaned. In addition, the root tip of the tooth can also be cut according to the situation. The cut tooth root tip is covered with a quality filling material. In this way, any problems are prevented after the operation.

Does Tooth Shaking Occur After Apical Resection?

In some cases, tooth shaking has been observed after apical resection. Any medical intervention, including apical resection, must be performed under some general conditions that may vary according to the operation.

In particular, situations such as lack of sterilization can lead to complications during any operation, including apical resection. In addition, today, people who are not even dentists and do not have any experience or knowledge in this field perform dental treatment. Receiving apical resection treatment from these people can even put your life at risk. Therefore, you need to consult specialist dentists and make sure that the operation takes place in a health institution with adequate facilities. Otherwise, you may face situations such as tooth shaking after apical resection.

Another reason for tooth loosening after apical resection is the deterioration of the support structures of the tooth. In some cases, infectious health problems that cause the need for apical resection surgery can lead to destruction of some or all of the supporting structures of the tooth. In addition, such destruction can also occur during the apical resection procedure. Therefore, tooth shaking after apical resection is not always an indication that the dentist is at fault.

What Should Be Considered After Apical Resection?

Applying Ice

Edema may occur in the area after apical resection. Ice application is necessary to control this edema. You can use a cold pack or a piece of ice wrapped in a thin towel. In addition, ice application can prevent a re-infection in the tooth as it has positive effects on inflammation.

Not Brushing Teeth

Since there is minimal destruction in the area after apical resection, tooth brushing should not be done. If a patient who has undergone an apical resection operation brushes his teeth without the doctor’s approval, it will negatively affect the healing process due to both brush blows and toothpaste. Therefore, you need to get approval from your dentist to brush your teeth after undergoing an apical resection operation.

Not Smoking

Do not smoke after dental treatment such as apical resection. Smoking can slow down and even jeopardize the healing process after the operation. Therefore, you should not smoke after an apical resection operation, at least until you have fully recovered.

Making Reverse Movements

Many patients undergoing dental surgery such as apical resection want to control the surgical site. As a result of such a desire, movements such as opening the mouth too wide or lifting the lip upwards can cause the sutures to loosen and break. This negatively affects the postoperative healing process and may even jeopardize the patient’s general health.

Eating Liquid or Semi-Solid Foods

Apical resection is a very serious dental surgery. After such an operation, the teeth and dental tissues should not be stressed. Consuming solid foods that need to be chewed a lot can cause great pressure and destruction in the area, causing the healing process to take too long and perhaps endanger it. Therefore, you need to eat liquid or semi-solid foods during the healing process after apical resection.

Adjusting Sleep Positions

Apical resection can sometimes be performed on tooth tissues on the right or left side. In such a case, you should not lie on the operated side. For example, if you have had apical resection surgery due to an infection under your tooth on the right side, you should not lie on your right cheek during the healing process. Lying on that side means that the surgical area that has not yet healed is under pressure. This can cause strain on the stitches, increase edema and even cause the stitches to break.

Frequently asked questions

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Is Swelling Normal After Apical Resection?

Swelling is normal after a serious operation such as apical resection. This swelling occurs due to edema formation. Swelling after apical resection can be very intense, especially in the first 7 – 10 days. This swelling will decrease and disappear over time. If the swelling has reached a very uncomfortable level, the edema that causes swelling can be controlled with cold application. However, if the swelling after apical resection has not disappeared for a very long time and is very uncomfortable, you should consult your dentist.

What is the success rate of apical resection?

The success rate of apical resection is around 90% – 95%. Since this operation is a more complicated operation compared to other dental treatments for the removal of inflammation, the success rate is also higher. In addition, the success rate of apical resection is also affected by the experience of the dentist and the facilities of the clinic or hospital where the operation is performed. Therefore, in order to achieve successful results from apical resection, you should consult a dentist serving in a clinic or hospital with sufficient facilities.

Apical Resection or Implant?

The choice between apical resection and implant may vary from patient to patient. While apical resection is an application to keep and improve the natural tooth of the person, the implant is an application that leads to the use of prosthetic teeth. Therefore, apical resection may be ideal for patients who want to keep their natural teeth. However, due to some health problems, apical resection may not give results and dental implants may be needed.

Who Performs Apical Resection?

Apical resection is performed by dentists. Apical resection is an operation within the scope of dental treatments. Therefore, this surgery must be performed by a dentist. An apical resection operation performed by people who are not dentists does not solve the person’s dental infection and may adversely affect their general health. Therefore, you should consult a dentist to have an apical resection operation. In addition, you should remember that it would be in your best interest to choose a dentist who specializes in dental surgery.

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