OR30 - Clinical and Radiographic Features of External Cervical Resorption – An Observational Study

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

3:15 PM – 3:30 PM EST

Location: Hynes Convention Center, Floor 3, Room 310

Co-Author(s)

SP

Shanon Patel, B.D.S., Ph.D., M.Sc.

Professor of Endodontology
King's College London
London, England, United Kingdom

Disclosure information not submitted.
FA

Francesc Abella, B.D.S., Ph.D., M.Sc.

Professor Agregat o Titular Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry. Universitat Internacional de Cataluny
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Disclosure information not submitted.
KP

Kreena Patel, B.D.S., M.D.S.

Specialist in Endodontics
London, England, United Kingdom

Disclosure information not submitted.
Paul Lambrechts, D.D.S., Ph.D.

ull Professor and Chair of the Department of Conservative Dentistry (K.U.Leuven)
Catholic University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven)
Leuven, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium

Disclosure information not submitted.

Presenter(s)

Nassr Al-Nuaimi, B.D.S., Ph.D., M.Sc.

Full-Time Student
Boston University
Brookline, Massachusetts

Disclosure information not submitted.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of symptoms, clinical signs and radiographic presentation of external cervical resorption (ECR).

Methods: This study involved 215 ECR lesions in 194 patients referred to the Endodontic postgraduate Unit at King's College London, London, UK. The clinical and radiographic findings (periapical [PA] and cone beam computed tomography [CBCT]) were readily accessible for evaluation. Inferential analysis was carried out to determine if there was any potential association between type and location of tooth in the jaw as well as sex, age of the patient and ECR presentation and radiographic feature.

Results: Eighty-eight patients (94 teeth) were female and 106 patients were male (121 teeth), the mean age (±SD) was 41.5 (±17.7) years. The most affected teeth were maxillary central incisors (21.4%) and mandibular first molars (10.2%). ECR was most commonly detected as an incidental radiographic finding in 58.1% of the cases. ECR presented with symptoms of pulpal/periapical disease in 23.3% and clinical signs (e.g. pink spot, cavitation) in 16.7% of the cases. Clinical signs such as cavitation (14%), pink spot (5.1%) and discoloration (2.8%) were uncommon, but their incidence increased up to 24.7% when combined with other clinical findings.

Conclusion: ECR appears to be quiescent in nature, the majority being asymptomatic and diagnosed incidentally from PA or CBCT. When assessed with the Patel classification, most lesions were minimal to moderate in relation to their height (1 or 2) and circumferential spread (A or B). Symptoms and clinical signs were associated with (probable) pulp involvement rather than the height and circumferential spread of the lesion.