Apical healing of an endodontically treated tooth with a temporary restoration

A 35-yr-old, healthy male presented to the graduate endodontic clinic at Indiana University School of Dentistry for treatment of tooth #26. Two and one-half yr after treatment, the patient returned to the dental school for comprehensive treatment. The canal access opening had been restored with an intact interim restorative material restoration. The tooth was asymptomatic, and radiographic examination showed evidence of apical healing. In this article, a review of the literature concerning crown-down leakage is presented. A case report is given in which healing occurred after the tooth was restored with only an interim restorative material for an extended period of time.