title: Management of Apical Periodontitis: Healing of Post-treatment Periapical Lesions Present 1 Year after Endodontic Treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Post-treatment periapical lesions present 1 year after treatment may heal during the second year or later. The aim of this study was to assess second-year volumetric changes in post-treatment periapical radiolucencies detected 1 year after treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Post-treatment periapical radiolucencies were detected on cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) scans obtained from 93 single-rooted teeth 1 year after endodontic treatment. The outcome of these teeth was evaluated 2 years after treatment. Two examiners independently measured the volume of the radiolucencies on CBCT images twice. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to assess the 1- and 2-year post-treatment volumes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intraclass correlation coefficients for the CBCT volumetric measurements were 0.971 and 0.998 for the 2 examiners, and the interexaminer correlation coefficient was 0.998. Of the 93 teeth with post-treatment radiolucencies at 1 year, 61were examined at the second-year evaluation. The overall size of the radiolucencies significantly decreased during the second year (P = .01); the volume decreased in 38 teeth (63%), remained unchanged in 20 (33%), and increased in 2 (3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The volume of post-treatment periapical radiolucencies detected 1 year after treatment was significantly reduced after the second year in 63% of teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology and Endodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Digital and Material Technology of Stomatology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Ming
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology and Endodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China; Department of Stomatology, Peking University International Hospital, Beijing, China. Electronic address: leungyuhong@sina.com.
authors.forename: Yu-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology and Endodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology and Endodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry and Oral Hygiene, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van der Sluis
authors.affiliation: Department of Cariology and Endodontology, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Min-Kai
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D010486:Periapical Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: Cone-beam computed tomography; healing; post-treatment periapical lesions