Apexification

3D MicroEndo

Endodontists located in Upper East Side, Gramercy, and Tribeca, New York, NY

If the tip of a tooth’s root is open and needs to be sealed off, an apexification can help. The team of highly skilled endodontists at 3D MicroEndo provides safe and effective apexification procedures for their patients in New York City. Call your nearest office or book a visit online to one of their three convenient clinics in the Upper East Side, Gramercy Park, and Tribeca neighborhoods of Manhattan.

Apexification Q & A

What is an apexification?

Apexification is a treatment to stimulate root development in a tooth with an open apex, effectively sealing off the end of the tooth’s root.

An open apex involves the end of a tooth’s root not being closed off. This is perfectly normal in teeth that are still developing, as the open root enables your tooth to fully grow and settle into place.

It can take up to three years for your tooth root to fully seal off after your tooth grows into your mouth. A fully developed tooth has cone-shaped root canals that taper from the crown to the root end of the tooth, eventually closing off at the very end of the root.

Why would I need an apexification?

One of the more common reasons to get an apexification is if you need to have a root canal before your tooth has finished forming, so the apex has been unable to seal itself off naturally.

An open apex makes a root canal impossible because it prevents your dentist from sealing off your pulp chamber with a filling material.

By creating a hard barrier where your apex should be closed off, an apexification makes it possible for your dentist to perform a root canal and restore your damaged or infected tooth.

Apexification can also be necessary if you have a fully formed tooth whose apex has eroded as a result of bone loss (resorption). The open apex leaves an entry point in your tooth for bacteria to enter and damage the nerve and other sensitive structures within your tooth. An apexification effectively seals off your tooth and protects it from harm.

What’s the process for an apexification?

Your dentist first takes an X-ray of your mouth to determine your need for the procedure. If they decide that an apexification would benefit your oral health, they clean out the root of your tooth and apply a chemical material to the apex. That material solidifies to form a hard layer called a calcific barrier.

Depending on your particular condition, they might need to replenish this material every 2-4 months over a period of 6-18 months, or until the calcific barrier successfully forms.

To learn more about how an apexification can benefit your oral health, schedule a visit by phone or online at 3D MicroEndo today.

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