The patient has a draining abscess. The tooth has a history being endodontically treated years ago. The infections has returned and needs to be treated surgically.

Initial radiograph. The tooth has been treated with a root canal and a post. Notice the dark area at the tip of the root. This is the abscess.

The abscess can be seen visually. A flap is reflect and the abscess is identified as the gray area at the tip of the root.

The abscess is cleaned out, the tip of the root is removed and the root is sealed with a filling material.

This is the final postoperative radiograh showing the retrofilling .

The flap is repositioned and sutured.

Three months of healing. Notice the new bone fill where the abscess was.