---
title: "What Is Apicoectomy? Dental Glossary | Town Center Dental"
description: "An apicoectomy is a small surgery to remove the tip of a tooth root and clean out infection. It is done when a root canal alone has not solved the problem."
url: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/apicoectomy
publisher: Town Center Dental
phone: +1-636-273-5866
quote: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment
---

Procedures

# Apicoectomy

An apicoectomy is a small surgery to remove the tip of a tooth root and clean out infection. It is done when a root canal alone has not solved the problem.

Apicoectomy means the removal of the end, or tip, of a tooth's root. The ADA defines it as amputation of the apex of a tooth. It is surgery at the root tip, not a treatment of the inside of the tooth.

It is not the same as a [root canal](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/root-canal-therapy), which treats the inside of the tooth.

Because it is surgery, your dentist will explain the steps, the numbing medicine and the aftercare. Not every tooth needs it. Many are treated with root canal therapy or removed. See [dental abscess](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-abscess) and [tooth pulp](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-pulp).

## Related terms

-   [Root canal therapy](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/root-canal-therapy)
-   [Dental abscess](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-abscess)
-   [Tooth pulp](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-pulp)
-   [Tooth root](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-root)
-   [Tooth extraction](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/tooth-extraction)

## Sources

1.  [American Dental Association: Glossary of Dental Terms](https://www.ada.org/publications/cdt/glossary-dental-terms)

## Ready when you are

[Request an appointment](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment)[Call (636) 273-5866](tel:+1-636-273-5866)