Monitoring of healing by ultrasound with color power doppler after root canal treatment of maxillary anterior teeth with periapical lesions.

AIMS

To assess the reliability of ultrasound imaging coupled with Color Power Doppler for monitoring the healing after nonsurgical endodontic therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ten asymptomatic maxillary anterior teeth with approximately similar-sized periapical radiolucent lesions of average dimension 1.3 - 1.9 cm, as observed on an intraoral periapical radiograph, and confirmed by ultrasound was selected for the study. After confirming the diagnosis all the teeth were subjected to nonsurgical endodontic treatment. Postoperative healing was monitored using postoperative subjective feedback, a radiograph, and an ultrasound with a color power doppler, at intervals of six weeks, three months, and six months.

RESULTS

Eight among the ten cases studied showed signs of healing, with an ultrasound, as early as six weeks postoperatively, but the radiographs showed a noticeable change only at the end of three months. At the end of the follow-up period of three months and six months, the findings in terms of change in the lesion size were the same with both the radiograph and ultrasound. Ultrasonography was able to predict the healing very consistently at all recall periods from six weeks onward providing vital information such as changes in vascularity and bone formation as compared to radiographs.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound with Color Power Doppler is an efficient tool for monitoring bone healing as compared to the conventionally employed radiographic method.