If a dental nerve dies (e.g. due to a deep hole in a tooth or molar), the dentist will remove the nerve from the tooth. The dead tooth nerve is removed through a small hole in the tooth and the space inside the tooth is filled with a rubber-like material. This treatment is usually adequate. Sometimes, however, an infection or a cyst occurs at the tip of the tooth root.
Re-treatment (repeating the root canal treatment) is the preferred treatment. However, the tip of the root and the inflammation or cyst may sometimes have to be surgically removed too. This is the case when the nerve canal is no longer accessible (e.g. because a pivot tooth has been put in place) or when a cyst does not become smaller after proper (repeat) nerve removal. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and takes only half an hour.
The doctor will discuss the treatment options with you.
