Anatomic and microbiologic challenges to achieving success with endodontic treatment: a case report

This article describes a case of persistent apical periodontitis that required several nonsurgical and surgical approaches for resolution. A 28-year-old woman presented with a large symptomatic apical periodontitis lesion associated with the maxillary left lateral incisor that persisted in spite of previous nonsurgical and surgical endodontic treatment. Root canal retreatment was accomplished, but the lesion only showed a slight decrease in size after 18 months. Forty-six months after retreatment, the patient returned because of reemergence of symptoms. Radiographically, the lesion remained relatively unaltered. Periradicular resurgery was performed, and a biopsy specimen consisting of the lesion and the apical part of the root was collected for analysis. Radiographic and clinical reevaluation after 4 years revealed complete healing. Histopathologic and histobacteriologic observations demonstrated that the lesion was a cyst, and that the probable reason for failure was the occurrence of bacteria within dentinal tubules and in a lateral canal slightly coronal to the amalgam root-end filling. This case report clearly illustrates the difficulties imposed by anatomic complexities in attaining a disinfection level that is compatible with periradicular tissue healing.