Root canal surgery can be used to help save your tooth in a number of situations.

Diagnosis – If you continue to have persistent symptoms but no signs of pathology can be seen on an x-ray, your tooth may have a small crack or anatomic irregularity that could not be detected or treated during the root canal treatment or retreatment. In this situation exploratory root canal surgery allows Dr. Maguire to examine the root of your tooth to detect the problem and provide the appropriate treatment.

Inaccessible portions of the root canal – Occasionally natural or man-made blockages occur in the root canal and do not allow Dr. Maguire to sterilize the root canal system in its entirety. If these unsterilized areas continue to cause problems Dr. Maguire may need to remove that part of the root and seal the root canal from that end.

Dental plaque on the outer surface of the root – Bacteria have been shown to occasionally spread from the inside of the root canal onto the outer surface of the root. Occasionally these bacteria can form dental plaque just like the plaque a dental hygienist removes during a cleaning. If this occurs, the plaque must be removed for healing to occur. If Dr. Maguire determines that this has happened to your tooth surgery may be required to remove that portion of your root covered by plaque.