title: Examination of the prevalence of periapical lesions and technical quality of endodontic treatment in a Turkish subpopulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of periapical lesions by evaluating the periapical status and to evaluate the relationship between the technical quality of endodontic treatments and presence of periapical lesions in a Turkish subpopulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 11,542 teeth of 438 patients were radiographically evaluated. Presence of endodontic treatment and obturation levels, coronal restorations, and degree of root canal curvature angles were noted. Apical status was assessed by the Periapical Index Scores (PAI). The χ(2) test was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among all teeth, 179 (1.55%) had endodontic treatment and 189 (1.63%) had periapical lesions. Of 179 endodontically treated teeth, 68 (37.99%) had periapical lesions. The prevalence of periapical lesions was found to be significantly high among underfilled teeth (P < .001). In most underfilled teeth, the presence of severe curvatures was particularly of interest. Prevalence of inadequate coronal restorations was significantly high among the teeth with periapical lesions, whether endodontically treated or not (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of the present study indicate that considerable effort should be spent by dental practitioners to improve the technical quality of root canal fillings.
authors: Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Endodontics, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. hknozbs@yahoo.com
authors: Hakan
authors: H
authors: Özbaş
authors: Selmin
authors: S
authors: Aşcı
authors: Yalçın
authors: Y
authors: Aydın
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003442:Crowns / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000473:pathology; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012389:Root Canal Obturation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000473:pathology; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult