Dentoalveolar Pro Tips - Retrieving Displaced Root Tips (with Drs. Jake Stucki and Grant Stucki)

A routine extraction can quickly become a high-stakes situation when a root tip becomes displaced and slips out of view. In this episode of the Everyday Oral Surgery Podcast, Dr. Grant Stucki is joined by Dr. Jake Stucki to break down the technical challenges of managing displaced root tips. Drawing from real clinical scenarios, they walk through cases most likely to cause complications, like deeply impacted teeth or roots that are very close to the sinus. The conversation focuses on practical decision-making in the moment: how to recognize early warning signs, maintain control, and recover when things don’t go as planned. They discuss step-by-step strategies for retrieval, includi

M g using simple tools like suction or even finger pressure to reestablish resistance. They also explore when it’s safer to stop and leave a root tip in place, weighing the risks of further damage against the likelihood of healing without complications. Listen in for an informative discussion on handling one of oral surgery’s more stressful scenarios with confidence!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing Dr. Jake Stucki and today’s focus on displaced root tips.
• Common scenarios that increase the risk of root tip fracture and displacement.
• Recognizing early signs that a root tip has fractured during elevation.
• Tips for avoiding fractures, including the use of careful elevation.
• Techniques for locating and retrieving extra-challenging displaced root tips.
• Risks of pushing roots deeper into lingual or soft tissue spaces.
• Strategies for managing tooth displacement into the sinus.
• When to escalate to a Caldwell-Luc approach for retrieval.
• Closure strategies to address a large sinus opening.
• When it is safer to leave a root tip rather than risk harm.
• Patient communication and follow-up when a root tip is retained.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Jake Stucki on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-stucki-ab19a593/

Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/

Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.com

Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059