Comparative study of treatment outcome in apicectomies with or without root-end filling

Abstract

Background: High success rate has been reported widely with conventional endodontic. When failure occurs, re-treatment alone or with surgical endodontics is the recommended treatment.

Objective: To compare the treatment outcome following apicectomy techniques, apicectomy with and without retrograde root – end filling.

Methods: Fifty three patients presenting with clinical and radiological evidence of pulpal and periapical pathology ≥5mm that will require apicectomy were randomly recruited into the study groups A or B over a period of 12 month. In group A apicectomy was performed without root - end filling and in group B apicectomy was performed with root – end filling. Patients were recalled 12 months and assessed clinically and radiologically.

Results: 35 out of 53 recruited patients reported for 12 month re-call visit. Two were excluded because of missing baseline radiographs. 33 patients that reported at 12months recall visit with complete radiographs were used for analysis. Patients age ranged from 16 – 66 years, with those in age group 21 – 30 years predominant, Majority (57.6%) were males. Forty teeth were treated, 14 had root – end filling and 26 without root – end filling. Maxillary incisors were the most frequently apicectomized teeth. 32 (80%) out of 40 apicectomized teeth were successful, 14 (88.5%) out of 26 teeth treated without root end filling were successful, while 9 (64.3%) out of 14 teeth treated with apicectomy with retrofil were successful.

Conclusion: Though apicectomized teeth without root-end filling had a higher percentage of success it was not statistically significant (p=0.15).