I've got 2 maple trees (trunk diam. about 12 to 16") where a few small
roots (diam about 1") are growing over, and being absorbed into, the
large roots that branch off the main trunk at ground level about a foot
from the trunk.

I've cut those small roots on either side of the large root but I'm not
sure how to pull the remnants out of the large root to allow the large
root to "heal" itself and grow naturally.

My basic question is: Would the smaller roots have integrated into the
large root (so that they become the same wood) or have they remained
separate and therefore the smaller root can be extracted from the larger
one without dammaging the living layer of the larger root that has been
in contact with the smaller wood.