An apicoectomy, also known as a root end surgery, is a recommended treatment for patients if a root canal treatment by itself was insufficient to clear out an oral infection. While less common than root canals, it is a safe and painless procedure that can often be completed rather quickly.

The average apical dental surgery takes between 30 to 90 minutes per tooth, depending on both the tooth’s location and the severity of the root tip infection. Interested in learning more about apical dental surgery, including when patients need one and what the surgery entails? Learn from our experienced dental team here at Rhode Island Endodontics and find out what you should know about apical dental surgery:

When do I need apical dental surgery?

In most cases, an apical dental surgery is only necessary if a standard root canal fails to clear out a tooth infection. Root canals are performed when the pulp inside your teeth is infected, which can spread into your gums. Sometimes, that infection spreads so far that even the tips of your tooth, also known as your roots, are infected.

Apical dental surgery is a procedure that involves extracting infected tissue around the tip of your tooth, along with cutting out the roots. With this procedure, dentists can prevent your inflamed tooth from infecting the rest of your mouth. Ideally, your endodontist can also save your tooth without any further treatment with a successful apical dental surgery.

What happens in apical dental surgery?

You can expect the following during a apicoectomy, or root end surgery:

1. Anesthesia. Your endodontist will apply a local anesthetic to numb the area of your mouth where they will be treating your tooth.
2. Gums. Your endodontist will make a very small incision in your gums in order to reach the infected roots of your tooth. With anesthesia, you should feel very little to no discomfort during this stage of the surgery.
3. Extraction. The infected root tip will be cut off and extracted form your mouth. Then, your tooth will be cleaned and fitted with a small filling to prevent further infection to your tooth and mouth.
4. Suture. Your endodontist will stitch up the small incision they made earlier that will encourage your gums to heal and grow tissue back where they made their cut. Natural healing will also allow your mouth to adjust to the new filling at the end of your tooth.

How long is the recovery for an apical dental surgery?

Thanks to anesthesia, you should experience little to no pain during the treatment, though as it wears off you may feel some minor pain or swelling for the rest of the day. This discomfort should disappear naturally over the next few days, and can be reduced through over-the-counter medicine and painkillers.

Depending on the type and severity of the infection, you may need to take antibiotics following treatment. Also, be careful when eating and brushing your teeth for about a week after treatment. Your mouth stitches should fall out on their own, but you may experience some oral pain or other issues if you accidentally remove them early. As such, make sure to follow your dentist’s recommended post treatment instructions.

Visit Rhode Island Endodontics for your apicoectomy

Looking for expert dental care in the Warwick, Rhode Island area? Then we invite you to pay us a visit at Rhode Island Endodontics! Our experienced staff is well versed in root canals and other endodontic treatments, and have treated thousands of patients in the area successfully in the past decade of operation. Endodontic treatment can be nerve wracking, but we do our best to make it as quick, painless, and relaxing as possible.

Contact us today if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment here at Rhode Island Endodontics!

Endodontics is a dental speciality that focuses on treating tooth pain and issues that arise from infected dental pulp. An endodontist may use several different treatments to treat dental pulp issues, depending on the patient’s individual needs. Two of the most common endodontic treatments are root canals and apical dental surgery?

What is the difference between a root canal and an apicectomy? A root canal treats infected pulp in a tooth, while an apical dental surgery, or root-end surgery, treats infected roots. However, there is a few other major differences that distinguish the two, so learn when you might need one or the other from our endodontists here at Rhode Island Endodontics:

What is a root canal?

Inside of your teeth is pulp, which is the tissue that connects it to your gums. This issue contains the nerves, blood vessels, and passageways that feed nutrients from your body into your tooth. Dental pulp is vital when your teeth are growing in, but not so much later in life after your teeth are fully formed. Unfortunately, when your tooth gets chipped or cracked, or you develop a gum infection, the pulp inside your tooth can get infected and lead to severe mouth pain.

A root canal is a procedure where an endodontist cuts into the tooth to extract the infected pulp. It is a quick and generally painless procedure, and will generally allow an endodontist to save the tooth and avoid having to extract it. However, sometimes the infection spreads too far, which is when you need an apicoectomy.

What is an apicoectomy?

A root canal clears out the infected pulp inside your tooth to prevent further infection to your mouth. However, some infections will spread to the tips of your tooth, also known as your roots, and to the gum tissue that your tooth is connected to. In this instance, you may continue to experience discomfort and inflammation despite a successful root canal treatment.

In this instance, you need an apicoectomy, also known as root-end dental surgery. Apical dental surgery involves cutting a small incision into your gums to access the roots of your tooth. The infected roots are cut off and removed, with a filling inserted to cap off your tooth. Your gums are sutured back together with stitches, and after a week or two most patients can look forward to a mouth free of oral infection.

When do I need a root canal or apicoectomy?

There are multiple signs that you may need a root canal. This includes the following:

• Persistent mouth pain
• Tooth or gum discoloration
• Swollen or bleeding gums
• Pain when you touch your tooth
• Extreme sensitivity to hot and cold foods
• Chipped, cracked, and broken teeth
• Wiggly or very loose teeth

If you experience several of the above symptoms, it may be worth scheduling an appointment with your dentist. Ideally, you should also visit a dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning. A dentist can help identify teeth that may need root canal treatment during this visit, besides helping you clean your mouth to reduce the risk of a root canal.

Although there are some exceptions, apicoectomies are generally performed after root canal treatments if the root canal doesn’t totally clear up an oral infection. Consult your endodontist about an apicoectomy if pain or other oral issues persist after root canal treatment.

Get endodontic treatment from Rhode Island Endodontics

Whether you need a root canal, apicoectomy, or other endodontic care, we invite our friends in the Warwick, Rhode Island community to pay us a visit at Rhode Island Endodontics. Our team is dedicated to providing you with endodontic services tailored to your needs, utilizing the latest in dental technology to help you recover as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Contact us today if you have any questions, or to schedule an in-person consultation. We look forward to doing our best to help you here at Rhode Island Endodontics!

When your teeth are suffering from a major infection, sometimes the best treatment is a root canal. An endodontist will drill into your tooth and remove the infected pulp and nerves, relieving pain while allowing you to keep your original tooth.

Most root canal treatments don’t take that long either. The average root canal procedure takes 30 to 60 minutes, though it may take longer for more complicated procedures. Appointments that also require additional treatments, such as adding a crown to your tooth, can also extend the length of the appointment.

That being said, there are a few other key facts you should be aware of when it comes to the length and recovery after a root canal procedure. Learn more about root canals from the experienced endodontists here at Rhode Island Endodontics:

How many visits will it take to perform a root canal?

Except in emergency cases, it is highly recommended that you consult with your endodontist over the course of several visits in order to prepare for a root canal. While root canal treatments are highly successful,  it is better if your oral infection can be treated through less invasive means.

Root canals are required when oral bacteria invade the pulp inside your tooth. When caught early enough, teeth cleanings and anti-bacterial medicine may be able to treat your infection without resorting to a root canal. As such, be sure to get your teeth cleaned and examined semi-annually to try and catch infections before they can deepen in your mouth.

How long will it take for me to recover from a root canal?

Recovery varies from patient to patient, and depends on other factors such as  how many teeth are treated and if there was any additional treatment beyond the root canal. However, for the average patient, local anesthesia is used to numb your mouth. As such, most patients can return to work and other normal activities the same day as their appointment.

Mild pain and soreness generally persists for 24 to 48 hours after treatment, which can be counteracted with over the counter drugs. As a general rule, you’ll want to be careful about what you eat and do for about a week following treatment. If pain or soreness persists past a week, consult your endodontist and consider scheduling a check-up appointment.

How long will my root canal treatment last?

In general, a root canal can extend the life of a tooth by 10 to 15 years. However, the lifespan of the tooth can be extended even longer by practicing proper oral hygiene habits. This includes the following:

• Brushing your teeth at least twice daily
• Using mouthwash and flossing at least once a day
• Replacing your toothbrush when it gets worn out
• Maintaining a good and balanced diet
• Cut back on high sugar and very acidic foods
• Avoid smoking, vaping, and similar carcinogenic inhalants
• Getting your teeth examined and cleaned at least twice a year
• Considering endodontic retreatment if issues return

Get root canal treatment from Rhode Island Endodontics

Do you need a root canal or other dental treatment and live in the Warick, Rhode Island area? Then consider paying us a visit at Rhode Island Endodontics. Besides root canals, we offer a wide range of endodontic services to help our patients, including non-surgical treatments to help patients without relying on invasive procedures. We believe in using the latest in dental technology to help our patients with treatments catered to their individual needs
Contact us today if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment, and we look forward to helping you here at Rhode Island Endodontics.

Endodontic treatments, which can range from root canals to dental implants and other dental surgeries, are often the most effective solutions to severe mouth infections. However, treatment for many oral issues doesn’t just end with your visit to the dentist. In fact, what you do after your endodontic treatment is sometimes just as important as the treatment itself.

In some cases, your endodontist may recommend antibiotics to help your mouth recover and stay healthy following treatment. Most oral medicines are mild, with very little risk of allergic reactions for the vast majority of endodontic patients. However, we believe patients should be as well-informed as possible when it comes to their potential dental treatments.

Here are a few key things to know about antibiotics and endodontic treatments from the experts here at Rhode Island Endodontics:

Are antibiotics used to treat mouth infections?

Antibiotics are a form of medication that specifically targets bacteria. Not only do they stop new bacteria from growing, but in many cases they can even help the natural healing process clean up existing infections. However, antibiotics are not often used to treat mouth infections.

When infections develop in the mouth, they typically target pulp tissue in the inner part of the tooth. Unfortunately, there is no current antibiotic that is very and consistently effective at treating infected pulp. As such, many professional endodontic treatments resort to removing infected pulp, tissue, and even teeth when necessary to protect the rest of the mouth. This is why antibiotics are rarely used as a way to treat bacterial mouth infections.

When are antibiotics recommended for endodontic patients?

In some cases, antibiotics may be recommended for patients after treatment to help reduce the risk of fever, swelling, pain, or other oral complications due to bacteria. However, your endodontist may recommend other medication as well. In many instances, over-the-counter pain medication is enough to reduce the pain you may experience during recovery.

For some patients, special antibiotics may be given in tandem with existing medication to reduce the risk of other health problems developing during and after treatment. If are at high risk for blood clots or heart issues, or currently take prescription medicine, make sure to discuss the medication you should take before your endodontic treatment.

Risks of antibiotic overuse

Another reason why antibiotics aren’t often recommended for patients is to reduce the risk of future health problems. Besides abusing antibiotics, antibiotic overuse can lead to bacteria developing that is more resistant to the medication normally used to treat bacterial strains.

Most endodontic treatments are low risk surgeries, so endodontists are encouraged not to recommend antibiotics unless it is absolutely necessary. Even so, all oral problems are unique to the patient, so make sure you discuss all treatment possibilities with your endodontist to determine what will be the most effective solution for your health needs.

Get expert treatment from Rhode Island Endodontics

Are you or your loved ones in need of an endodontist near in or around Warick, Rhode Island? Then we invite you to pay us a visit at Rhode Island Endodontics. With nearly twenty years of experience, our dedicated staff will do everything we can to help you save and protect your teeth. This includes non-surgical endodontics, allowing us to treat your oral health problems with the least invasive treatments possible.

Contact us today if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment. We’ll do our best to help you find your perfect smile when you visit Rhode Island Endodontics!

Today's root canals are not painful. Most patients report that they are no more challenging than a standard dental filling, especially when performed by an endodontic specialist.

Root canals have an undeserved reputation for being painful based on information that is decades old. Today's root canals are painless, thanks to dental technique and technology advances.

Why Are Root Canals Necessary?

Root canals become necessary when the pulp inside the tooth becomes infected or inflamed. You may also need a root canal if the nerves inside the pulp are damaged.

Bacteria can enter the pulp when teeth are broken, cracked, or severely decayed. When the infection goes untreated, it can spread, leading to bone loss and tooth loss. It could also lead to infection of neighboring teeth.

Benefits of Root Canals

Relieve Pain

The primary benefit of a root canal is relieving the pain and sensitivity that a damaged tooth can cause.

Preserve Your Natural Tooth

If a decayed or damaged tooth can receive a root canal instead of extraction, this could help your jawbone stay healthy. Missing teeth cause the bone to break down around the socket due to a lack of stimulation from chewing.

Save Money

A root canal and crown are less expensive than a dental implant or bridge. A crown lasts for years and effectively protects the prepared natural tooth.

The Root Canal Procedure

A root canal is a straightforward dental procedure best performed by an endodontist. The procedure typically takes about 45 minutes to an hour.

The endodontist drills into the tooth to remove the infected pulp. The endodontist uses specialized instruments to reach into the root canals and remove the source of the infection. They shape and clean the root canal's interior surfaces to make a repeat infection less likely.

In certain situations, the endodontist may need to place an antibiotic inside the tooth to help clear the infection or may give you an oral antibiotic. In this case, you must wait a few days to finish your root canal. Most root canals are complete in one sitting.

After removing the infected material, the endodontist fills the tooth with a plastic material that seals out contaminants. A temporary crown covers the root canal site and protects it until your general dentist can provide a permanent crown.

Signs That You May Need a Root Canal

• A broken, chipped, cracked, or decayed tooth
• Swelling and tenderness on the gum near the tooth
• Swelling in the face and neck
• Significant pain when putting pressure on the tooth or chewing

Call an endodontist for an evaluation if you have any of these symptoms. Putting off a root canal can lead to further problems like a spreading infection.

Call Rhode Island Endodontics

If you have noticed any signs of needing a root canal, don't delay getting care because it could endanger your oral and overall health. Call our Warwick, RI office at 401-337-9150 to make an appointment.

Dental patients in Warwick, and surrounding areas of Rhode Island, have a new option for outstanding endodontic care. Dr. Usman Fazli, DMD, former Dental Officer in the United States Army Reserves, recently opened his own root canal specialty practice called Rhode Island Endodontics. Centrally located in Warwick Medical Building at 400 Bald Hill Road, Suite 528 in Warwick, Rhode Island, this practice offers highly advanced care utilizing the most modern state of the art equipment in a warm, friendly setting.

Endodontic treatment has two primary goals: to relieve dental pain and to save natural teeth. Dr. Fazli employs new, high-tech state of the art equipment for visualization (Dental Operating Microscope) and Enhanced imaging (CBCT and Digital Radiographs) to ensure highest possible quality of care. This technology combined with over ten years of clinical experience performing root canals as a specialist by Dr.Fazli, dramatically increases the chances of successful outcomes for root canal procedures.

Treatments Offered

Rhode Island Endodontics offers comprehensive dental treatment options, including:

Root Canals

A root canal procedure attempts to remove inflamed and degenerating pulp tissue from the crown and root areas of the tooth. The endodontist cleans the pulp space and fills it with root filling material.  This alleviates pain and allows the patient to save his tooth. 

Endodontic Retreatment

If a root canal is not successful the first time, it may need retreatment. Rhode Island Endodontics works with other local practices to correct procedures and send patients home feeling comfortable. With the latest imaging technology and CBCT scan it is easier to visualize three dimensionally the possible source of infection and to re-treat the problem more efficiently.

Apical Surgery

If the infection progresses to the tip of the root or the apex, the dentist may need to perform apical surgery or root-end resection. This surgery involves making a small incision to expose the tooth's root, cutting the root tip, and resealing the canals.

Cracked Teeth Treatment

Cracked teeth can cause serious complications. Cracks can be hairline and not visible to the naked eye most of the time. Felt as odd zinging sensations when biting a certain way.  Microscope and CBCT imaging helps visualize changes resulting from cracks. Chewing on a cracked tooth may result in root fracture needing tooth extraction. Early treatment is key to saving crack teeth. 

Pulpotomy

Pulpotomy is also known as a "baby root canal" because endodontists frequently perform it on children with inflamed pulp inside the crown of their primary teeth. Adult teeth can also receive this treatment.

Dental Trauma Treatment

Teeth that have suffered traumatic injuries often need root canal treatment. A root canal can save the existing tooth and allow crown placement instead of extraction. Endodontists can also reseat partially or fully knocked-out teeth.

About Our Practice

We have created a warm and relaxing environment for our endodontic patients. We will handle your appointment efficiently and address your problems and concerns. Our first priority is for you to understand the condition of your tooth and source of discomfort and then offer you treatment options, so you can make an informed decision before we proceed. 

Many patients are wary of endodontic treatment, but the procedures are much more comfortable today than in the past.  Modern  advances in clinical techniques and use of new technology has significantly increased our clinical efficiency in performing these procedures. If you have any concerns, talk to our caring staff.

About Dr. Fazli

Dr. Usman Fazli, DMD, is a Board-Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics and has “Fellowship in Endodontics” from the Royal College of Dentists Canada. He proudly served our nation in the United States Army Reserve for 12 years. He has lectured on various topics in Endodontics at Universities and Dental Conferences in North America, Europe and Asia. 

Call Rhode Island Endodontics

If you are experiencing dental pain or your general dentist has informed you that you need endodontic treatment, call our office at 401-337-9150. We will work with you to create a treatment plan that returns your smile to a healthy, pain-free state.