Lateral Canals - Case 3

Here is a first premolar with a necrotic pulp, an apical lesion, and significant coronal bone loss. We have to start with the RCT and then we can know whether there is a periodontal component to this problem.

There was a delay until treatment and the lesions have increased significantly by the obturation seen here. There are 2 canals that fuse together and a significant lateral canal in the coronal third of the root. This is very nice to see as this means that all the bone loss may be of endodontic origin, and thus has a 100% potential for repair.

After 6 months, there is complete coronal healing and the apex is almost fully healed also. Lateral canals occur in all regions of the root, although they are more common apically.