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Apical Surgery with Retrograde Filling

Discover apical surgery, an effective treatment for infections in root-filled teeth. Learn about the procedure steps, prognosis, and modern techniques that enhance healing rates. Gain insights on optimizing treatment for the best possible outcomes!

Author: Thomas Kvist • Specialist in Endodontics • Associate Professor • Department of Endodontics • Gothenburg
Reviewed by: Annika Björkner • Dental Specialist • Associate Professor • Public Dental Service Region Kronoberg • Gothenburg University
3 min read
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    This article is based on an original article in Swedish which can be found here

    BACKGROUND

    Apical periodontitis in root-filled teeth can sometimes lead to pain and swelling. There may also be clinical findings at the root-filled tooth in the form of tenderness and fistulas indicating a persistent or secondary infection in the root canal system.

    However, a more common situation is that the root-filled tooth is both subjectively and clinically asymptomatic, but a radiographic examination shows that bone destruction has occurred, or that the original bone destruction persists despite the expected maximum healing time (normally 4 years) having passed.

    In such a situation, there are three treatment options:

    • Orthograde retreatment
    • Retrograde retreatment (apical surgery)
    • Extraction

    For more information, see articles:

    APICAL SURGERY – TREATMENT PROCEDURE

    Incision and Flap Technique

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