What is a root resection? my dentist said i need one of these on the same tooth i once had a root canal performed on. is this another kind of root canal?

Good : Good question. It is not another type of root canal. This is probably on one of your maxillary first molars. A root resection is where one of the roots of the teeth is sectioned and removed. It could be due to a recurring infection, or more probably to a periodontal defect. After removal, the gum and bone should heal up and the area should be a bit easier to clean and maintain. As your dentist why you need it and what the procedure entails.

No : No this is not root canal treatment all over again. It is the removal of one of the roots of the tooth that already had root canal treatment. This is often done because there is an infection or periodontal (gum & bone) defect that can be best cured when the root involved (the source of the problem) is eliminated allowing the rest of the tooth & surrounding support (periodontal tissues) to heal.

A : A root resection is preformed when it appears that there may be an infection around your root. This could be periodontal disease as suggested by others. It can also be a fractured root. This procedure is performed in office with a local anesthetic, same as when you are getting a filling. The gum is lifted away from the tooth root and the root is either partially or completely removed due to the nature of the problem. This type of treatment can only be done if root canal treatment (removal of the pulp from inside the root) has already been performed. It usually takes no more than one hour to perform.