Idiopathic external apical root resorption: clinical report of 2 cases

External root resorptions are characterized by progressive destruction of hard tissue due to clastic activity. This article reports 2 cases that involved the nonsurgical treatment of mandibular molars with idiopathic external root resorption. In the first case, clinical and radiographic examination showed irreversible inflammation of the pulp tissue and resorption of the distal root. Chronic inflammatory infiltrate and necrosis were identified by histopathologic examination of the pulp tissue. In the second case, inadequate endodontic treatment and a resorptive process were observed in the mesial and distal roots. In both cases, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) was used as the filling material. Clinical and radiographic follow-ups of 1 and 7 years, respectively, showed a favorable trend, including interruption of the resorptive process and periradicular normality. More longitudinal studies are necessary to analyze the performance of MTA in treating external root resorptions.