coronectomy
What is coronectomy?
A minor surgical procedure removing only the crown of the tooth and leaving the roots behind.
Why corenctomy?
A conventional wisdom teeth removal has a risk of damaging the nerves supplying lower lip and chin and tongue. Temporary
injury occurs in up to 8% of cases and permanent injury in up to 3.6% of the cases.
What happens to the remaining roots?
Recently my outcome was measured and it highlighted only one out of 45 cases needed removal of the roots. None of the patients experienced any nerve damage.
Literature reports post operative infection is possible but chances are small.
Late migration of the root fragments does appear to occur in some cases, but is unpredictable. However, in all cases the root fragments move in to a safer position with regard to the nerve and it can be removed with a lower risk.