Apicoectomy aided by dental computed tomography and dental microscope : A case report

Abstract

Abstract : We report a highly successful apicoectomy aided by a dental microscope after a dental CT examination, and that the dental CT resulted in high diagnostic ability and excellent therapeutic effect.

 The patient was a healthy 35-year-old female. The dental CT radiography revealed the presence of a perforation located 3 mm from the apical portion of the labial root canal of the left maxillary lateral incisor and overextension of the root canal filling material. As it would have been difficult to treat the tooth by conventional methods, apicoectomy and retrograde filling were performed under a dental microscope.

 The dental CT used in the present study detected the presence of a perforation on the root canal surface and overextension of the filling material at the apical portion that could not be seen by conventional radiography. The use of a dental microscope is very effective for allowing accurate apicoectomy and retrograde filling that cannot be achieved by conventional methods. The use of both the dental CT and dental microscope might usher in a new era for better examination, diagnosis and therapies in endodontics.