Inflammation of the apex (tip) of a tooth root, usually caused by bacterial infection from a cavity or injury.
From Latin apex (peak, tip) + Greek -itis (inflammation). The medical suffix -itis became common in medical terminology during the 18th-19th centuries to describe inflammatory conditions.
Dentists use this term when an infection at the root tip of your tooth causes the bone around it to become inflamed—this is what makes your tooth hurt and might require a root canal!
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