(TC56) Decompression: A Conservative Approach for the Treatment of Large Periapical Lesions

Abstract: The treatment options for managing large periapical lesions vary from nonsurgical to surgical interventions. Although surgical procedures, such as apicoectomies in endodontics, are quite predictable, periapical cysts can approximate and endanger adjacent structures and teeth. High-risk areas include those near the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), nasal floor, and adjacent root apices. In these circumstances, a more conservative approach known as decompression can be explored. The objective of decompression therapy is to decrease the size of the periapical lesion. This promotes healing by altering the osmotic pressure and further allowing for partial or complete bone formation without compromising the vitality of the adjacent teeth or endangering adjacent anatomy. Therefore, the goal of this table clinic is to explore clinical cases that utilized this conservative approach to treating large periapical lucencies and its subsequent osseous repair of existing defects.