Clinical, radiographic and histological evaluation of chronic periapical inflammatory lesions.

The aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate the clinical, radiographic and histological aspects of chronic inflammatory periapical lesions. One hundred and sixty-four lesions of human teeth, independent of age, race and sex, were evaluated by clinical, radiographic and histological analyses conducted after surgical endodontic treatment. Our results showed that there was uniformity in the interference factors on the evolution of periapical healing such as the apical biofilm and/or endogenous (cholesterol crystals) or exogenous (extruded endodontic materials that are indigestible or of difficult digestion) foreign bodies and that some cysts are reversible with endodontic treatment. We conclude that it is difficult for the clinician to adjust parameters defining a diagnosis of chronic inflammatory periapical lesions.