Apicoectomy in
Wylie, TX — Save Your Tooth When Root Canal Isn't Enough

It's a small surgery that takes off the very tip of a tooth's root — the apex — clears out the infected tissue around it, and seals the canal from the bottom. Dr. C reaches for it when a root canal or retreatment just can't shake a stubborn infection at the root tip, and it lets you keep the tooth instead of pulling it.

A root canal sometimes leaves infection behind because calcium deposits have sealed off a canal, the roots are unusually curved or narrow, the root tip is fractured, or the infection has already moved into the jawbone. Bacteria can also hide in the tiny lateral branches that split off the main canal. An apicoectomy goes straight to that source from the outside — somewhere a repeat root canal simply can't get to.

Not during the surgery. It's done under local anesthesia, so you'll feel pressure at most — never pain. For the next 2–7 days you can expect some mild soreness and a little swelling, both easily handled with over-the-counter ibuprofen and a cold pack. More often than not, patients tell us the recovery was far easier than they'd braced for.

Most run 30 to 90 minutes, and the deciding factor is which tooth it is. A front tooth — an incisor or canine — sits within easy reach and is often finished in 30–45 minutes. A back molar, with several roots tucked deeper in the jaw, can take up to 90.

When an experienced clinician uses today's techniques and materials, the documented success rate sits at 85–97%. Teeth that heal well usually keep working for decades, and frequently for the rest of your life. For the right candidate, it's a very predictable procedure.

Day-to-day life usually picks back up within 1–2 days, and the soreness and swelling fade over 1–2 weeks. The bone itself keeps rebuilding for about 3–6 months — a slow, painless process you won't even notice — and a six-month X-ray lets us confirm everything healed as it should.

At Merry Dental Hub the fee generally falls between $900 and $1,800 per tooth, depending on which tooth it is and how complex the case turns out to be. Most PPO plans cover part of it, and either way it's well below the $3,000–$5,500+ cost of pulling the tooth and replacing it with an implant. Call (972) 483-4848 and we'll work up an estimate for your situation.

A root-tip infection won't clear up on its own. Left untreated, it tends to eat into the surrounding bone, can reach the teeth next door, and may flare into a painful abscess — and in rare cases it spreads beyond the mouth. Down the road the tooth often has to come out anyway, which costs more and leaves permanent bone loss where it stood.

In most cases, yes. When the surgery is done with local anesthesia alone — which is the norm — you're fine to drive yourself once you feel alert. The exception is if we add sedation to your plan, in which case you'll want someone to drive you. Our team will let you know which applies before your appointment.

Yes. From our office at 2260 Country Club Rd Suite 101, Wylie TX 75098, Dr. C performs apicoectomy (root-end surgery) for patients across the eastern DFW area — including Plano TX, Murphy TX, St. Paul TX, Sachse TX, Richardson TX, and the surrounding communities. Call (972) 483-4848 to set up a consultation.