Inflammation and infection of the inner pulp tissue of your tooth can be treated with a root canal. If not treated, inflammation of the pulp in your teeth can cause deep decay and abscesses in your bones. Your dentist will open up your tooth, remove the pulp, clean the root area, then fill and seal it. The purpose of this procedure is to manage disease and decay without having to pull your teeth. The apicoectomy, on the other hand, only focuses on the tip of the root and is performed after a root canal to repair the root or surrounding tissues.