A Nonsurgical root canal therapy treatment with apparent indications for root-end surgery

Abstract

The recent introduction of the surgical microscope to the practice of endodontics, especially for surgery, has allowed clearer visualization of the periapex during root-end resection and filling. However, despite this and other technologic advances, it has not been demonstrated that in the absence of thorough canal debridement the success rate of periapical surgery has improved over the 50% to 60% demonstrated in most long-term prognosis studies. Therefore it remains important to fully instrument and obturate the root canal system with conventional therapy before surgery is considered; this considerably improves the long-term prognosis. Various methods can be used in the nonsurgical management of periapical lesions: the conservative root canal treatment, decompression technique, active nonsurgical decompression technique, aspiration-irrigation technique, method using calcium hydroxide, Lesion Sterilization and Repair Therapy, and the Apexum procedure. Monitoring the healing of periapical lesions is essential through periodic follow-up examination.