diff --git a/Orthtree/include/CGAL/Orthtree.h b/Orthtree/include/CGAL/Orthtree.h
index 0e3e9a18743..edef27df68a 100644
--- a/Orthtree/include/CGAL/Orthtree.h
+++ b/Orthtree/include/CGAL/Orthtree.h
@@ -441,19 +441,6 @@ public:
    */
   Node& root() { return m_root; }
 
-  /*!
-    \brief Convenience function to access the child nodes of the root
-    node by their indices.
-
-    `my_tree[5]` is equivalent to `my_tree.root()[5]`.
-
-    \sa `Node::operator[]()`
-
-    \param index the index of the child node.
-    \return a reference to the node.
-   */
-  const Node& operator[](std::size_t index) const { return m_root[index]; }
-
   /*!
     \brief returns the deepest level reached by a leaf node in this tree (root being level 0).
    */
diff --git a/Orthtree/test/Orthtree/test_octree_intersecting.cpp b/Orthtree/test/Orthtree/test_octree_intersecting.cpp
index 4d83929c2e0..b731ec04e33 100644
--- a/Orthtree/test/Orthtree/test_octree_intersecting.cpp
+++ b/Orthtree/test/Orthtree/test_octree_intersecting.cpp
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ int main(void) {
 
     // Check the results
     assert(4 == nodes.size());
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_TOP_BACK] == *nodes[0]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_BOTTOM_FRONT] == *nodes[1]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::LEFT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[2]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[3]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_TOP_BACK] == *nodes[0]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_BOTTOM_FRONT] == *nodes[1]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::LEFT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[2]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[3]);
   }
 
   // Intersection with a ray
@@ -86,14 +86,14 @@ int main(void) {
 
     // Check the results
     assert(8 == nodes.size());
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::LEFT_BOTTOM_BACK] == *nodes[0]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_BOTTOM_BACK][Octree::Traits::LEFT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[1]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::LEFT_TOP_BACK] == *nodes[2]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_TOP_BACK] == *nodes[3]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::LEFT_BOTTOM_FRONT] == *nodes[4]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_BOTTOM_FRONT] == *nodes[5]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::LEFT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[6]);
-    assert(octree[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[7]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::LEFT_BOTTOM_BACK] == *nodes[0]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_BOTTOM_BACK][Octree::Traits::LEFT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[1]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::LEFT_TOP_BACK] == *nodes[2]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_TOP_BACK] == *nodes[3]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::LEFT_BOTTOM_FRONT] == *nodes[4]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_BOTTOM_FRONT] == *nodes[5]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::LEFT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[6]);
+    assert(octree.root()[Octree::Traits::RIGHT_TOP_FRONT] == *nodes[7]);
   }
 
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;