Radiographic morphometric study of 37 periapical lesions in 30 patients: validation of success criteria.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish the midterm prognosis of periapical surgery by use of the ultrasound technique, comparing a scale obtained by image analysis with the success rates according to other prognostic scales.

Materials And Methods: A clinical follow-up study was performed between September 2004 and September 2005. Thirty-six patients with chronic periapical lesions were treated with periapical surgery via the ultrasound technique and root-end filling with silver amalgam. Evolution was analyzed by use of the different currently accepted assessment scales at 6 and 12 months after intervention with a scale obtained by radiographic image analysis.

Results: Thirty patients with a mean age of 40.5 years were studied. The mean follow-up period was 14.2 months. Thirty-seven lesions were analyzed. A positive correlation at 6 months was observed between the radiographic scale proposed in this study and the scales of Rud and Andreasen and von Arx et al. At 12 months, the proposed radiographic scale only correlated with the functional tooth concept established by Friedman.

Conclusions: There was no statistically significant relation between the radiographic scale from the image analyzer and the criteria of Rud and Andreasen and von Arx et al.