Endodontic treatment of teeth associated with a large periapical lesion.

AIM: To report the healing of a large periapical lesion following non-surgical root canal treatment.

SUMMARY: A 12-year-old male with a large periapical lesion around the apices of his mandibular incisors is described. The lesion formed after trauma to the mandibular anterior teeth 5 years previously. During root canal treatment, chlorhexidine gluconate was used for irrigation, and calcium hydroxide was used both for the intracanal dressing and as a base of the root canal sealer. Periapical healing was observed 3 months after obturation and continued at the 12-month review. Key learning points Root canal treatment, including the use of chlorhexidine gluconate and calcium hydroxide for infection control, led to substantial healing of a large periapical lesion. This report confirms that large periapical lesions can respond favourably to non-surgical treatment.