A treatment method for inflammatory external root resorption based on x-ray imaging findings: a case report study

Abstract

Purpose: This case report aimed to describe a treatment for severe inflammatory external root resorption (RR).

Materials and Methods: A 13-year-old boy reported the avulsion of his upper left central incisor. The tooth had been avulsed four months prior and was replanted forty minutes later by an emergency service. The canal was thoroughly irrigated with 2% sodium hypochlorite and then filled with calcium hydroxide of a creamy consistency as an intracanal medication due to its antimicrobial properties, using lentulo spirals. The calcium hydroxide was left inside the canal for a month.

Results: Following the diagnosis, treatment involved conventional endodontic therapy with calcium hydroxide dressings, and the root canal was definitively filled after radiographic control of the resorption. At the 6- and 12-month follow-ups, clinical and radiographic examinations revealed no signs or symptoms of any abnormalities. The resorption process had halted, and the radiograph showed the reappearance of the normal lamina dura, indicating successful therapy.

Conclusion: This case report details the treatment of severe external inflammatory RR in a tooth undergoing orthodontic treatment. Successful tooth replantation depends on the effective implementation of the recommended therapy. However, when inflammatory external RR occurs, appropriate endodontic treatment is necessary to eliminate necrotic tissue and bacteria, along with the use of calcium hydroxide dressings.