Periapical diseases: spectrum and differentiating features.

There are a variety of lesions besides the typical granulomas and cysts that can appear at the apices of teeth. These other lesions must receive consideration in the diagnosis of periapical disease because of their potential impact on patient treatment and outcome. This paper will review the spectrum of diseases that may present in periapical tissues, the pathogenesis, of periapical inflammatory disease, and the signs and symptoms that separate periapical inflammatory disease from neoplastic disease.