Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess healing of periapical lesion in either symptomatic or asymptomatic cases after obturation with different obturation techniques: cold lateral compaction and single cone obturation techniques at different apical extensions; 1 mm &2mm.
Materials and Methods: A total of eighty patients were divided into two main groups; symptomatic or asymptomatic (n=40) then each group was subdivided into two subgroups (n=20) according to the obturation technique; subgroup a: Cold lateral compaction technique and subgroup b: single cone obturation technique. Further, each subgroup was divided into two divisions (n=10) depending on whether the apical extent; 1 or 2 mm from radiographic apex. All cases were prepared and obturated. CBCT scans were taken preoperatively, at 3, 6, and nine months and volume of the lesion was calculated to determine the treatment outcome. Data were then gathered, tabulated and statistically analyzed.
Results: At 1mm, no significant difference between mean % changes in lesion volume after using lateral compaction or single cone techniques either asymptomatic or symptomatic along the evaluation periods while at 2mm lateral compaction technique showed higher mean % decrease in lesion volume than single cone technique after 3, 6 as well as 9 months. In both groups, using lateral compaction technique, no significant difference was recorded at 1 or 2 mm apical extension of filling while in single cone, at 1mm apical extension revealed higher decrease in lesion volume than 2mm
Conclusions: Radiographic success rate of the single cone obturation technique was comparable with those of the lateral compaction obturation technique in root canal treatment of teeth with periapical lesions in short term evaluations at 1mm apical extension.