title: Surgical treatment of iatrogenic canal blockages.
abstract: The endodontist of today is confronted with managing retreatment failures. Some of these can involve the retreatment of intracanal blockages. Many times, conventional endodontics cannot be redone, so a surgical approach may be needed. This article reviews four basic surgical techniques that can be used for retreatment of intracanal blockages. When the blockage cannot be removed, a standard retrograde amalgam technique or the Nygaard Ostby procedure of reverse instrumentation-obturation can be used. Two other surgical techniques used to eliminate the blockage are the apical loosening technique and a true apicoectomy procedure. Each of these procedures is reviewed, and the advantages and disadvantages are discussed.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001047:Apicoectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D012184:Retrograde Obturation; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods