Prevalence of different periapical lesions associated with human teeth and their correlation with the presence and extension of apical external root resorption.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of various periapical pathologies and their association with the presence and extent of apical external inflammatory root resorption in human teeth.


METHODS
One hundred and four root apices from extracted teeth with periapical lesions were examined. Semi-serial sections of soft tissue lesions were stained with HE. The lesions were classified as noncystic or cystic, each with different degrees of acute inflammation: 0, 1, 2 and 3, increasing in severity. The root apices were analysed by SEM. External root resorption was classified according to site, as periforaminal or foraminal, and the extension of the resorbed area graded in increasing area as 0, 1, 2 or 3.


RESULTS
Cysts accounted for 24.5% of the samples, 84% of which were associated with marked inflammation. The most prevalent diagnosis was noncystic periapical abscess with varying degrees of severity (63.7%). Periapical granuloma was not a frequent finding. SEM analysis showed that 42.2% of the root apices had periforaminal resorption extending over 50% of their circumference. When the foraminal resorption was evaluated, 28.7% had resorption affecting >50% of the periphery. Only 8.9% of the samples showed no periforaminal or foraminal resorption.


CONCLUSIONS
In the sample of extracted teeth investigated, 24.5% of the periapical lesions were cysts. Most periapical lesions (84.3%) displayed acute inflammation, whether cystic or not. Periforaminal resorption was present in 87.3% of the cases, and foraminal resorption in 83.2%. Periforaminal and foraminal resorptions were independent entities. There was no association between external root resorption and the nature of the periapical lesions.
Post-Graduate Program of Dentistry, ULBRA, Canoas, Brazil.
F V
FV
Vier
J A P
JA
Figueiredo
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D015588:Observer Variation; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000150:complications*; D011842:Radicular Cyst / Q000150:complications*; D012391:Root Resorption / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000473:pathology