Pre-eruptive intracoronal radiolucent defect: a case of a nonprogressive lesion.

Pre-eruptive intracoronal resorption or defect is an unusual radiolucency located in the dentin, just beneath the dentin-enamel junction of unerupted teeth. The pathogenesis of the phenomenon is unclear. The present case with a radiolucency that has not changed in its dimension over a period of almost 7 years, until tooth eruption, raises a question about the progressive nature of the defect that is defined as "resorption." Resorption may not be the sole explanation for a pre-eruptive intracoronal radiolucent defect. The authors also challenge the hypothesis of "local pressure" as a prime cause for the defect. The authors conclude that, when dealing with pre-eruptive intracoronal radiolucency in permanent teeth, a conservative approach with radiographic follow-up is the recommended treatment if the lesion does not seem to endanger the pulp. Intervention can be postponed until after tooth eruption when treatment does not require surgical intervention.