Periradicular surgery with and without endoscopy: a prospective clinical comparative study

Abstract

A total of 129 teeth with periradicular surgeries (apicoectomies) were analyzed in a prospective clinical study. In the test group including 62 teeth, an endoscope (Tele-Otoscope with a 70 degrees viewing angle) was used as an intraoperative visualization aid to monitor the following surgical steps: root-end resection, root-end cavity preparation and retrograde root-canal obturation. In the control group including 67 teeth, intraoperative diagnostics were carried out using micromirrors. Fifty-four and 61 teeth could be re-examined after one year. Based on the clinical and radiographic findings they were categorized as success, uncertain healing or failure. In the test group with endoscopy, the success rate was 88.9%, whereas in the control group it was only 75.4%. However, statistically no significant difference was found between the two groups. Additional experimental and clinical studies will show if endoscopy will improve the success rates in periradicular surgery any further.