Transient apical breakdown following subluxation injury: a case report

Transient apical breakdown has been reported to occur in cases in which a periapical radiolucency develops and resolves without treatment following luxation injury. Diagnostic errors are inevitable if periapical breakdown is used as the sole criterion or as an overriding criterion in the decision to initiate root canal treatment. A clinical case report is presented in which transient apical breakdown occurred after a subluxation injury. The threshold to sensitivity tests increased yet sensitivity remained positive with the appearance of the periapical radiolucency. The decision was made not to initiate root canal treatment in spite of the radiographic appearance periapically. At the 10-month recall the tooth remained responsive to sensitivity tests and the apical radiolucency had disappeared.