Endodontic Resident University of Florida Gainesville, Florida, United States
Diagnosis of an endodontic lesion encompasses two parts: vitality testing of the tooth in question as well as adjacent and contralateral counterparts and analysis of the image modality. Endodontic lesions are often indicated on a periapical radiograph by the presence of a periapical radiolucency, widened periodontal ligament, and discontinuity of the lamina dura. Often general practitioners will diagnose a tooth with a periapical/periradicular radiolucency as having an endodontic abscess and will refer for endodontic treatment or, worse, perform it themselves. Not all radiolucencies surrounding the tooth are of endodontic origin, so these teeth may be misdiagnosed and receive inappropriate treatment. The purpose of this table clinic is to explore the different periapical/periradicular radiolucencies that have a high probability of being misdiagnosed as being of endodontic origin strictly based on their radiographic appearance. The disease mechanism, clinical features, and radiographic features (location, periphery, internal structure and effects on surrounding structures) will be presented for each condition and compared to those of an endodontic lesion. Currently, we have noticed an increased number of root canal treatment performed on teeth with focal and florid cemento-osseous dysplasia at our dental clinics as a result of misdiagnosis.
