title: Occult caries or pre-eruptive intracoronal resorption? A chance finding on a radiograph.
abstract: The purpose of this paper was to describe a rare case of idiopathic coronal resorption of an unerupted permanent mandibular second molar, which was detected as a chance finding on an orthopantomogram taken to assess dental eruption on a young patient about to start orthodontic treatment. The affected tooth was removed and underwent histopathological investigation. This case report provides a discussion of the possible etiologies for this radiographic appearance, as well as the diagnosis and management of such lesions. Failure to identify such lesions can potentiate a guarded prognosis. Further research is required in this field to investigate the etiology and pathological process, albeit this is limited by the rarity if these lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK. liliawong8@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK.
authors.forename: Sadaf
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000379:methods; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014091:Tooth Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014097:Tooth, Unerupted / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology