title: Unicystic ameloblastoma mimicking apical periodontitis: a case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to describe a series of unicystic ameloblastomas (UAs) that presented clinical and radiographic similarities to apical periodontitis in order to call the attention of clinicians to the fact that several different diseases are able to mimic endodontic periapical lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective clinicopathological analysis of 5 patients who had periapical lesions in the mandible initially diagnosed as apical periodontitis but with a final histologic diagnosis of UAs is presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three men and 2 women with a mean age of 26.4 years presented lesions involving the posterior mandible. No patient reported pain, and 3 patients showed pulp vitality of the involved teeth. Radiographically, all lesions presented periapical well-defined radiolucencies, ranging from 2 to 3 cm in diameter, and 3 cases presented root resorption. Endodontic therapy was applied in 2 patients who were referred to our clinics because of a lack of involution of the periapical lesions. All patients were submitted to periapical surgical curettage and histologically diagnosed as UA. After a mean follow-up of 45.6 months, all patients are well without signs of recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UA may involve the periapical area of teeth, mimicking an inflammatory lesion of endodontic origin. The diagnosis of periapical lesions should be determined based on clinical and radiographic aspects. Recalcitrant lesions should be surgically explored and submitted to histologic evaluation. The early diagnosis of nonendodontic lesions mimicking apical periodontitis such as UA may prevent unnecessary endodontic treatment and wide surgical resections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rogério Oliveira
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Gondak
authors.forename: André Caroli
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: José Guilherme
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Neves Campos
authors.forename: Pablo Agustin
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: Oslei Paes
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Marcio Ajudarte
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Alan Roger
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Santos-Silva
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D003475:Curettage; D003791:Dental Pulp Test; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000379:methods; D012391:Root Resorption / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult