Before understanding endodontic surgery, it is important to understand nonsurgical endodontic treatment. Nonsurgical endodontic treatment is more commonly known as root canal treatment. It is necessary when the soft inner tissue of the tooth, the pulp, becomes inflamed or infected.
Endodontic treatment involves removal of the damaged pulp.
The canals are then cleaned, filled and sealed to preserve the tooth. 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.