AboutFrederick R. Liewehr DDS, MS, FICD Expertise I can answer your questions about root canal therapy in general. PLEASE DO NOT ask me to diagnose your particular problems or recommend treatment as I cannot do this without examining you and seeing your x-rays.
Experience I am a Board-certified endodontist, former university department Chairman, teach dental residents, and have a private practice.
I guess my question is when does the Patient know when and if a Apicoectomy is needed. THIS IS MY RIGHT FRONT TOOTH
root Canal may 09-- still had pain not to hot or cold but had a funny tin foil feeling when I touched the tooth--- This root canal was done my a reg dentist.
August 26 -09 RE-rootcanal treatment by an endodontist. I still have sensitivity in the tooth. Feels Like a small bruise when I push on it. Mornings are the worst when I wake up very sore But after being up for a bit the soreness turns to the bruise like feeling....I have on a temp crown, when I floss oh I feel the soreness/sensitivity. The endo say he sees no infection, my reg dentist says the bite is fine. I have no other explanation for the pain. The endo dentist IS NOW TALKING ABOUT DOING A Apicoectomy... OH man I am scared is the normally the next step after 2 failed root canal on the same tooth..I have been on antibiotic and still i have the soreness.....Thank You for your time.
Answer There is not really any way for you to know whether or not apical surgery is indicated unless you are an endodontist. What you need is to consult one. There are bizarre symptoms that can be the result of non-dental causes that need to be considered as well. A front tooth is simple morphologically, so normally should not present mysteries. For various reasons on which we only speculate, you can have a little residual soreness to biting that might improve after the surgery, or could potentially be made worse. If your dentists are stumped, then you must decide if you can live with the situation, if you want to try something that may not work and may have other side effects, or if you want to find another dentist for another opinion.
