Sometimes endodontic treatment alone cannot save your tooth, and your dentist or endodontist may recommend endodontic surgery. Endodontic surgery includes any surgical procedures used to remove infection from your root canals and surrounding areas. Surgery can also be used in diagnosing problems that do not appear on your x-ray, such as root fractures, or in treating problems in the surrounding bone. All dentists are trained in endodontic treatment. Because endodontic surgery can often be more challenging than routine treatment, many dentists refer patients needing surgery to endodontists.
Endodontists are dental specialists who diagnose and treat oral pain.
In addition to dental school, endodontists receive two or more years of advanced education. They study root canal techniques and procedures in greater depth, including the area of endodontic surgery. An apicoectomy is the most common endodontic surgical procedure. This procedure is used to remove infection or inflammation from the bony area around the end of your tooth. The endodontist starts by opening the gum tissue near the tooth.