Hi Tinask,

The tooth is just showing symptoms now but in reality it has been infected since the root canal was done. As Ginnie said, there is no way to cure an infected tooth because the countless tiny canals cannot be cleaned out which leaves you with an infected tooth. Antibiotics cannot reach in these tiny canals to magically cure the infected nerve material. That is why they haven't work.

An apicoectomy does NOTHING to cure the infection inside of those tiny infected canals. This is a painful, expensive surgical procedure that causes additional trauma, inflammation and deterioration to the jaw bone. Making replacement of this tooth in the future more complicated than need be.

The dentist only gave you part of the description of this procedure... in that he neglected to tell you that he cannot remove the infected tissue inside of the tooth. Therefore at best he could remove some of the cystic material that has formed at the root of the tooth. What you will be left with is..... an infected tooth.

I know you don't want to lose your tooth. Unfortunately that is the inevitable with all root canaled teeth. It is your choice as to whether you want to retain an infected tooth for additional time... which carries systemic health risks... or remove it now before further damage occurs.

I'm sorry to be giving you such crappy news... I really wish dentists were more informative about these procedures.

Please keep us posted...
Bryanna