Hi Jacckie,

You are wise to be concerned about the possibility of developing a systemic infection from an infection in your mouth that could affect your hip replacement. Any oral infection can lead to a systemic infection and it is not an uncommon problem. However, the connection is rarely diagnosed until the joint replacement has to be removed from the infection.

All root canaled teeth are infected irrelevant of how many times they are treated. The apicoectomy surgery will not rid the tooth of the infection because there is no access to the tiny canals within the tooth that contain the infected nerve material. This surgery is painful, expensive and creates an even more vulnerable condition in your mouth elevating the risk of a systemic infection. This tooth will be weaker not stronger and no, it won't be stable or healthy enough to hold your bridge.

One option is to have this tooth removed and have a new 4 unit bridge made which would replace this tooth and the missing premolar. Another option is to have two implants, one to replace this tooth and another to replace the missing premolar. Then have a new crown put on the second premolar.

Please discuss all of your options with your dentist. Again, you are wise to be concerned about chronic infection..... let your intuitiveness guide you.

Bryanna