Surgery on the tooth

Introduction

There are a number of surgical procedures that are regularly performed in dentistry, because it is not always sufficient to free the tooth from caries and to place a filling. In the worst case, the tooth cannot be saved and must be extracted. The apicoectomy is a treatment attempt to save the tooth from the forceps.

If it is lost, an implant can help and replace it. Dental surgery is usually performed under local anaesthetic. Of course, the specialist can also perform the operation under anaesthetic or with the help of various sedative measures, such as nitrous oxide.

Tooth extraction

If one speaks of a tooth extraction, it is about “pulling” the tooth. Tooth extraction is the most common surgical procedure. If a tooth is destroyed to such an extent that it can no longer be saved by conventional means, it must be removed.

This may be the case, for example, if the tooth has been extensively destroyed by caries or if it is only very loose in the gums due to the consequences of periodontitis. Sometimes it is also necessary to extract a tooth as part of a prosthetic or orthodontic treatment. Normally, the corresponding area is anaesthetized, the tooth is loosened with a lever and pulled with the help of pliers.

Operation on the wisdom tooth

The wisdom teeth often represent a small peculiarity during the removal, because many of them do not break through the gums with their crown, but remain partially or completely in the bone. If the wisdom teeth then become uncomfortable or need to be removed, they must first be exposed, i.e. freed from the gums and, if necessary, the bone. This is not called extraction, but osteotomy. The wisdom teeth can also be removed under local anaesthetic. Here you can get more information: Operation on wisdom tooth and wisdom tooth extraction

Apicoectomy

At the tip of the root, the dental nerve emerges from the tooth. If the dental nerve is infected by invading germs, the bacteria spread via the root canal to the tip of the root. As a result, the tissue around the tip of the root also becomes inflamed.

In most cases, the dentist carries out a root canal treatment in which the tooth nerve is removed, the interior of the tooth is disinfected and sealed with a filling material. In the best case, the tissue around the tip of the root also recovers thanks to the treatment. If this does not happen, there is still the possibility of a root tip resection.

In this case, a drill is used to drill a window into the bone at the site behind which the root of the inflamed tooth is located. Then the root tip is separated from the rest of the tooth, this and the inflamed tissue is removed and the wound is closed again. This way there is a chance of preserving the tooth and not having to pull it out. Click here to go to our main page: The root tip resection