Roots which extend into the bone of your jaw hold your teeth in place. Whilst most teeth have two or more roots your front teeth only have one, the tip of each root is known as the apex. Through the apex, nerves and blood vessels are able to enter the mouth, travelling through a canal inside the root all the way into the pulp chamber located inside the crown. During a root canal procedure the canals will be cleaned and any infected or inflamed tissue removed. A root resection differs from this in that one of the roots of a multi-rooted tooth will need to be removed. For some patients a removal of some of the tooth’s crown will also be needed and in some cases the tooth which the root supports will need to be taken out. It’s necessary to undergo a root canal before root resectioning however the two are fundamentally different procedures. Whereas a root canal will clean the canals removing inflamed or infected tissue a resectioning will require the inside of the tooth to be cut. Root rectionings used to be a popular dental procedure however modern advances in dental technology mean your dentist now has more options than ever before. For instance your dentist can now simply extract the tooth and replace it with some dental implants. In many cases root resectioning can cost you much more than a tooth extraction as a root canal treatment will be required and many patients require a crown for the affected tooth. Root resectioning can be effectively used to combat tooth decay, broken teeth or bone loss.
The Procedure
Before you can undergo the resectioning procedure, you’ll probably have to undergo a root canal treatment first. This is usually performed under a local anaesthetic, meaning you’ll be conscious throughout. The root resectioning procedure usually requires your dentist to make several cuts in your gums so that the roots of your teeth are exposed. Once this is exposed a bur is used to keep the root seperate from the other parts of the tooth. Once successfully separated, the tooth is easily removed. Following this the affected area is rinsed with a saline solution and stitched shut. It’s typical to be given a temporary filling or crown which will be removed after a few months and replaced with a permanent model. It’s normal to be prescribed antibiotics and antimicrobial mouth washes to help prevent infections.
Aftercare
Immediately following your root resectioning procedure, it’s normal to experience some swelling and light bleeding for a couple of days. It’s commonly advised that you avoid chewing with the affected tooth until after the stitches have been taken out in a couple of weeks.
When you visit your dentist to have them removed you’ll be examined to check whether your gums have begun to heal correctly. As soon as the gums are sufficiently healed, your restorations such as fillings or crowns can be applied.
Risks
Although the vast majority of root resectionings are carried out safely, as with all surgical procedures there are some risks involved. The biggest risk is infections but it’s easy to prevent this as long as you carefully follow aftercare advice and take any prescribed medications. Accidental damage such as cracks or breakages in the nearby teeth may occur during the procedure and this can require further surgery to correct. Also holes in the sinus can occur when undergoing root resectioning for the upper molars, again, this may require further treatment to mend.
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