Aim

Internal dentine resorption is aprocess caused by odontoclastic activity, mainly associated with chronic pulpal inflammation and/or trauma, and it’scharacterized by a progressive loss of dentine tissue and the possible invasion of the cementum. This report describes the diagnosis and treatment of a lower molar that presented a symptomatic case of internal dentine resorption.

Clinical case

A 38-years old patient was referred to the office because of presenting an area of internal resorption in a lower second molar. During clinical and radiographic examination, a periapical preoperative radiograph with radiovisiograph was taken, in which the presence of an area compatible with the diagnosis of internal dentine resorption was observed, which was later confirmed by a cone-beam computed tomography.

The image of the lesion was presented as a deforming radiolucent area with sharp edges, located at pulp chamber level. Treatment consisted of the removal of the coronary pulp and the instrumentation, disinfection and filling of the root canals and the access cavity. In the clinical and radiographic control carried out 3 years after procedure, it was observed that the patient was asymptomatic and the periradicular structures were within normal limits. The histological observation of the removed material from the pulp chamber revealed the presence of a granulomatous tissue with numerous blood vessels and scarce micro hemorrhagic focus.

Until now, the endodontic treatment is the indicated procedure to treat internal dentine resorption. It is necessary to highlight the importance of the cone-beam computerized tomography for the early diagnosis and treatment of internal dentine resorptions in order to have a favorable outlook.