Sometimes infection may persist surrounding the root tip even after a successful or failed root canal treated tooth. Gradually, this infection increases, forms dental abscess/cysts which destroy the periradicular tissues, the supporting alveolar bone. All these ultimately lead to the formation of gum boil, pus discharge, and tooth mobility.
An apicectomy is a minor surgical procedure to remove the top of the root of a dead tooth.
This involves cleaning out the infection from the bone, removing a small portion of the root end (tip), and then sealing the root tip with a biocompatible filling.
Sometimes bone graft needs to be placed in the surgical site according to the bony defect.