Conservative treatment of persistent periradicular lesions using aspiration and irrigation.

Aspirating the unknown contents of a bony cavity and saline irrigation of a body wound are both basic surgical techniques. These two techniques have been combined in treating persistent periradicular pathosis in two cases. The cases demonstrate significant bony healing of extensive periradicular defects after the use of the combined procedure. Both cases were nonresponsive to nonsurgical root canal treatment. The use of aspiration and irrigation may initiate healing in cases of uninfected apical cysts which heretofore would require surgical intervention. The conservative nature of these procedures has advantages of reduced treatment time, avoidance of iatrogenic problems, and elimination of some conventional apical surgery.