Dental care is often in need of a second opinion, especially if past care has not fully solved the problem. For patients who have had a root canal and still experience pain or infection, two options are considered: endodontic retreatment and apicoectomy. Both treatments aim to save your natural tooth, but they accomplish it in different ways. Understanding the difference gives you the confidence to make an educated choice.

What is Endodontic Retreatment?

Endodontic retreatment is a procedure to fix a tooth that has previously been treated with root canal therapy and has not healed. Your dentist does not remove the tooth but instead reopens the tooth, removes the old filling material, and irrigates the root canals again. New sealing is placed to protect the tooth from further bacterial invasion.

This treatment is worth it when issues like undiagnosed canals, anatomically complicated cases, or residual infection render the initial treatment futile. The majority of patients in Watford go for retreatment because it preserves the tooth structure and function without an operation.

What Is an Apicoectomy?

An apicoectomy, which is also known as root-end surgery, is different from retreatment. Instead of opening the tooth crown, the dentist makes a small surgical incision in the gum next to the affected tooth. The infected tissue and root tip are removed. A small filling is placed to block the canal at the root end.

This procedure is most beneficial for teeth with blockages inside the canal that cannot be dislodged by accessing the crown.

Endodontic Retreatment vs. Apicoectomy: Differences

While both are designed to drain infection and preserve the natural tooth, they do so following different techniques:

• Retreatment aims to clean and seal the root canals from the crown.
• Apicoectomy corrects infection surgically at the root tip below the gum.

In practice, retreatment is usually attempted first.

Conditions That Influence the Right Choice

Several conditions have a bearing on deciding if you might be better off with one procedure over another:

• Previous Treatments: If initial root canal therapy failed due to not finding canals, retreatment might succeed.
• Healing Potential: Healthy gums and bone improve more positive outcomes in both treatments.
• Long-Term Outlook: Both treatments are highly successful, but less invasive retreatment is attempted first.

Retreatments, as well as root canal treatments, are found to be over 85–90% successful if oral hygiene is cared for properly, states the American Association of Endodontists.

Both procedures are performed under local anesthesia, as a precaution to ensure the patient is comfortable. Retreatment would feel similar to having a root canal therapy for the first time, and an apicoectomy is a surgery that might take days to heal.

For patients seeking endodontic retreatment in Watford, it’s reassuring to know that advanced imaging and microsurgical techniques make endodontic treatment more predictable than ever. With Dr. Bhangu’s guidance, you’ll receive a thorough evaluation of your tooth and a clear recommendation based on your needs.

If a root canal doesn’t entirely address an issue, you still have good options. Endodontic treatment is more a matter of deciding on the one that suits your tooth condition. A gentle examination and open discussion with your dentist will lead you to the solution.

Call Watford Dental Office today to schedule your consultation and determine which solution best serves your long-term oral health.