Radiographic Evaluation of Periapical Radiolucencies

Background and purpose: Periapical inflammatory lesions are localized periapical bone reactions that result from pulp necrosis and inflammation or periodontal diseases. Inappropriate treatments are often considered as one of the main factors associated with apical periodontitis. This study was done to evaluate periapical radiolucencies in panoramic radiographs. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 332 panoramic radiographs of patients attending Sari School of Dentistry (2016-2019) were assessed. The Periapical Index was used to evaluate the presence of periapical lesions. Also, the quality of treated teeth was determined by optimal quality indices. Data analysis was done in SPSS V.016 Results: Periapical lesions (PAI = III-V) were seen in 75.4% of the teeth investigated and in 90.2% of teeth with root canal therapy (RCT) and 68% of untreated teeth. Periapical radiolucencies were mostly found in RCT teeth with inadequate filling density and length. The prevelance of lesions were higher in males. The presence of lesions increased in jaws from the anterior to the posterior, and the frequency of lesions was higher in the maxilla than the mandible. Conclusion: The frequency of periapical lesions in RCT teeth was very high. The findings showed that the quality of density and length of filling has a significant effect on prevelance of preapical lesions. Poor RCT leads to low success rate in the treatment of teeth.