Outcome of surgical endodontic treatment in dogs: 15 cases (1995-2011)

To document the short- and long-term outcomes of surgical endodontic treatment in dogs in a clinical setting.

Retrospective case series.

15 dogs that underwent surgical endodontic treatment.

Medical records of dogs that underwent surgical endodontic treatment at 3 institutions from January 1995 to December 2011 were reviewed. Information extracted included signalment, history, initial clinical signs, physical and radiographic examination findings, treatment, and outcome. Outcome was determined through evaluation of the pre- and postoperative radiographs as well as clinical and radiographic findings at follow-up evaluations. On the basis of radiographic findings, treatment was considered successful if the periapical lesion and bone defect created by surgery had completely healed and no new root resorption was detected; a treatment was considered to have no evidence of failure if the periapical lesion remained the same or had not completely resolved and root resorption was static.

15 dogs were treated by means of apicoectomy and retrograde filling following a failed or complicated orthograde root canal treatment. The mean long-term follow-up time was 15.2 months (range, 3 to 50 months). On radiographic evaluation, 10 of 15 dogs had successful resolution of the periapical disease; 5 dogs had no radiographic evidence of failure of endodontic treatment. All dogs were considered to have a successful clinical outcome.

Surgical endodontic treatment was an effective option for salvaging endodontically diseased but periodontally healthy teeth of dogs in which orthograde treatment was unsuccessful and nonsurgical retreatment was unlikely to succeed.