Root Amputation and Hemisection: Saving Part of a Tooth

What root resection and related procedures involves

This group covers procedures that alter the root structure of a tooth rather than just treating the inside of it. Root amputation removes one root of a multi-rooted tooth while keeping the rest of the tooth in function. Hemisection divides a molar and removes one half, converting it into a smaller functional unit. Decoronation removes the crown of a tooth and leaves the root submerged, deliberately preserving the bone around it. Surgical repair of root resorption addresses a defect eating into the root from the outside. Intentional reimplantation removes a tooth, treats it outside the mouth, and replants it. They are all salvage procedures, chosen when part of a tooth is failing but the rest is worth keeping, or when preserving bone matters more than preserving the tooth.

When this treatment is used

Used for teeth with severe bone loss around one root, a vertical fracture confined to one root, a perforation or resorption defect that cannot be treated conventionally, or — in the case of decoronation — a young patient with a resorbing traumatised tooth where maintaining ridge volume for a future implant is the priority.

Why decoronation is cleverer than it sounds

When a traumatised tooth in a growing child undergoes replacement resorption, the root is gradually replaced by bone and the tooth becomes fused in place. Extracting it takes the surrounding bone with it, leaving a defect that will need grafting before an implant can ever be placed — and implants cannot be placed until growth finishes anyway. Decoronation removes the crown and leaves the root in place to be resorbed and replaced by bone naturally. The ridge is preserved rather than destroyed, and the eventual implant site is far better. It is a deliberate decision to lose the tooth in a way that protects the bone.

Costs and insurance in summary

Typical fee range across the group: $0–$0 where a single band applies. Several codes here are priced individually and carry their own range on their own page. Priced as surgical procedures and highly variable with difficulty. Most require a narrative, and a pre-treatment estimate is advisable.

Benefit category: Major / surgical, variable on a typical plan. Coverage is inconsistent for these less common procedures, and most claims need a narrative explaining why the procedure was chosen over extraction.

Common restrictions: Narrative almost always required; Some codes are not recognised by all plans; A pre-treatment estimate is strongly advisable.