Sometimes, even after an endodontic treatment (a root canal treatment) is performed on a tooth, an infection may remain at the end of the root. Symptoms of an infection include throbbing toothache, sensitivity to heat and tenderness when chewing. This can spread to fever, swollen lymph nodes and sinus pain. If left untreated, this can lead to loss of the tooth and spread of infection throughout your body.

During an apical resection, your dentist accesses the infection by making a small opening above the tooth. The infected tissue is removed and the tip of the root is removed to remove any additional infection. The opening is then cleaned and filled and the area is closed and left to heal. Healing for an apical resection depends on the severity of the infection and can range from months to a year. After the infection is removed and the root is resealed, the tooth is preserved and restored to health.

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In cases where a tooth is lost and a dental implant is needed, your doctor may recommend a bone graft be performed to stabilize and support it.
The first step in this procedure is to prepare the site for placing the dental implant
Next, the implant body is placed into the bone.
Once the implant is placed, bone material is packed around the implant.
The area is covered with a special healing membrane, and a healing cap is seated onto the implant.
The area is then sutured and given time to heal- during this time the graft solidifies around the implant and blends into your natural bone tissue. While healing, your doctor can provide a temporary tooth to fill the empty space.
Once fully healed, the damaged bone will have regained its original strength and stability. At a future appointment, the final restoration can be placed onto the implant to complete the process.

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Typically in the late teens to early twenties, the third set of molars, or wisdom teeth, begin to come in. While it is possible for them to emerge in alignment with the existing teeth, other times there can be complications. When there is not enough room in the rear of the mouth for the third molars to emerge, they can become what is called impacted, or stuck, at the area of emergence.

There are two ways this is categorized. The first identifies how far the tooth has penetrated through the bone and gum tissue. The tooth can be fully impacted in bone, partially impacted in bone, or impacted in the gum tissue.

The second method of categorization involves the angle at which the tooth is emerging. The range varies from being vertically aligned with the other teeth, to being entirely horizontal in orientation. They can also be angled towards the neighboring teeth or away from them.
Impacted third molars can potentially lead to significant pain, infections, bite misalignment, and damage to the surrounding teeth. To prevent these conditions from occurring, impacted third molars should be extracted to ensure optimum oral health.

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When a molar or premolar has been lost in the upper jaw, sometimes the bone becomes too thin to support a dental implant. The sinus pocket above could be damaged if an implant were placed.
A procedure called a sinus lift can add bone to the area and make it stable enough to place an implant.
First, an access opening in the area above the missing tooth is created, through which synthetic or sterile harvested bone material can be placed.
With the access opening created, the sinus membrane is gently lifted upwards, while the bone material is packed in beneath it.
A healing membrane is placed over the access opening, and the area is sutured and allowed to heal.
During this time, the bone material solidifies beneath the sinus and permanently blends into your natural bone tissue.
Once the site has fully healed, the bone will have regained its original strength and stability, and further procedures such as a dental implant can be initiated.

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A bone graft can repair an area of the jaw where a tooth used to be, or any area where there is bone loss. This is often the first step in replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant.

Bone can be taken from one area of the mouth and transferred to another. Synthetic bone or sterile bone taken from another source can also be used. Once placed, the area is given time to heal. During this time, the graft solidifies and permanently blends into your natural bone tissue. Once completed, the damaged bone will have regained its original strength and stability, and further procedures such as a dental implant can be started.

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When a 3rd molar, or wisdom tooth, becomes impacted or oriented in a way that jeopardizes the health of your surrounding teeth, bone, and tissue, your doctor may recommend extracting it. If the tooth requires surgical access to be removed, your doctor will likely perform what is called a surgical extraction.

During a surgical extraction, your dentist numbs the area and uses hand instruments to clear a path in the surrounding tissue to ease the removal of the tooth. Sometimes this also includes removing bony obstructions or dividing the tooth into smaller pieces to facilitate the extraction.

After the tooth has been removed, your dentist will clean the area and may suture it closed to allow for healing. They will monitor your progress and advise you when the area has sufficiently healed. With the wisdom tooth removed, the potential damage to the surrounding teeth, bone, and tissue has been eliminated as well as any threat of infection.

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When a tooth has become so extensively decayed or damaged that it cannot be preserved, your dentist may recommend extracting it to make way for a replacement restoration. If the tooth requires surgical access to be removed, your dentist will likely perform what is called a surgical extraction.

During a surgical extraction, your dentist numbs the area and uses hand instruments to clear a path in the surrounding soft tissue to ease the removal of the tooth. Sometimes this also includes removing bony obstructions or dividing the tooth into smaller pieces to facilitate the extraction.

After the tooth has been removed, your dentist will clean the area and may suture it closed as needed to allow for healing. While the site is healing, your dentist can fit you with a temporary tooth to wear in the meantime. When your dentist has determined that the area has sufficiently healed, they will work with you to present treatment options available to you to permanently replace the extracted tooth. If left in place, the damaged tooth could lead to further complications such as infection or decay below the gumline, leading to more costly and extensive procedures in the long term. It is important to work closely with your dentist to devise a treatment plan that best reduces these risks to your oral health.

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