A root resection is very different from root canal treatment. In root canal treatment, the nerves and blood vessels inside the root are removed and the space is filled with a sterile material. In a root resection, the entire root of a tooth is removed. However, because root resection requires cutting into the inside of the tooth (where blood vessels and nerves are located), the tooth will need root canal treatment before a root resection can be done.
Root resections were done more often in the past. Today, your dentist has other options, such as extracting the tooth and replacing it with an implant. It's better to keep your natural tooth than to get an implant, but in some cases an implant may be preferred. A root resection can end up costing as much as (or more than) an extraction and an implant. That's because the tooth also needs root canal treatment. Usually the tooth also will need a crown (cap) on top, too.
You will be given local anesthesia for a root resection.
The area will then be rinsed with sterile saline solution. The cuts will be stitched closed. The tooth will be given a temporary filling or will be covered with a temporary crown. In a few months, this temporary filling or crown will be replaced with a permanent one.
You may be given prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medication. You also may be given an antimicrobial mouth rinse.
When you visit the dentist to have your stitches removed, your dentist will see how your gums are healing. Once your gums have healed, any needed restoration — such as a filling or crown — can be completed.
Because a root resection removes part of a tooth, the procedure carries the same risks as tooth extraction. These include:
- Accidental damage (cracks or breakage) to adjacent teeth.
- A hole in the sinus during root resection on an upper molar. This usually will close by itself in a few weeks, but may require additional surgery if the area does not heal on its own.
