Surgical treatment of a periradicular lesion on an invaginated maxillary lateral incisor (dens in dente)

Abstract

The complex anatomy of invaginated teeth make their root canal treatment difficult. Moreover, this treatment may compromise the future of the tooth if it is destined to support a post-retained coronal restoration. This case reports the successful surgical root canal treatment of an invaginated tooth using a retrograde filling with gutta-percha. After surgical exposure of the root-end and cleaning of the root canal, the gutta-percha was compacted in the root canal which had been coated previously with a zinc oxide-eugenol cement. The gutta-percha was then cold-burnished. Periapical radiographic examination after 1, 2, 3, 6 and 12 months showed periapical healing with osseous formation. This procedure, resulting in minimal loss of hard tissues, permitted subsequent restoration of the tooth.