Elisabetta Vignudelli1, Giuseppe Monaco2, Annalisa Mazzoni3, Claudio Marchetti4. 1. PhD Student, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: elisabetta.vignudelli@unibo.it. 2. Visiting Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. 3. Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. 4. Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Coronectomy is a well-documented surgical technique for the treatment of high-risk third molars, but the fate of retained roots remains controversial. This case report describes the histologic analysis of retained root fragments. PATIENT AND METHODS: A 44-year-old man treated with coronectomy of a left mandibular third molar requested the extraction of the retained roots. The patient was asymptomatic and the retained roots were extracted 18 months after coronectomy at the patient's request. RESULTS: The extracted roots were histologically evaluated and the results showed the presence of vital pulp tissue. CONCLUSION: Histologic analysis showed that retained roots remain vital after coronectomy.
PURPOSE: Coronectomy is a well-documented surgical technique for the treatment of high-risk third molars, but the fate of retained roots remains controversial. This case report describes the histologic analysis of retained root fragments. PATIENT AND METHODS: A 44-year-old man treated with coronectomy of a left mandibular third molar requested the extraction of the retained roots. The patient was asymptomatic and the retained roots were extracted 18 months after coronectomy at the patient's request. RESULTS: The extracted roots were histologically evaluated and the results showed the presence of vital pulp tissue. CONCLUSION: Histologic analysis showed that retained roots remain vital after coronectomy.