Regenerative endodontic therapy (RET) is currently used to treat immature teeth with necrotic pulp and/or
apical periodontitis. However, recently RET has been used to treat mature teeth with necrotic pulp and/or
apical periodontitis and resulted in regression of clinical signs and/or symptoms and resolution of
apical periodontitis. The purpose of this case report was to describe the potential of using RET to treat 2 mature teeth with persistent
apical periodontitis after
root canal therapy using RET. Two male patients, one 26-year old and another 12-year old, presented for
retreatment of persistent
apical periodontitis after root canal treatment of 2 mature teeth (#9 and #19). The
gutta-percha fillings in the canals of teeth #9 and #19 were removed with Carvene
gutta-percha solvent (Prevest DenPro, Jammu, India) and ProTaper Universal rotary
retreatment files (
Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). The canals of both teeth were further chemomechanically debrided with rotary
retreatment files and copious amounts of
sodium hypochlorite irrigation and dressed with Metapaste (Meta Biomed, Chungbuk, Korea). RET was performed on teeth #9 and #19. Periapical
bleeding was provoked into the disinfected root canals. The
blood clots were covered with
mineral trioxide aggregate plugs, and the access cavities were restored with intermediate restorative material. Teeth #9 and #19 showed regression of clinical signs and/or symptoms and healing of
apical periodontitis after 13-month and 14-month follow-ups, respectively. Tooth #9 revealed narrowing of the canal space and apical closure by deposition of hard tissue. RET has the potential to be used to retreat teeth with persistent
apical periodontitis after
root canal therapy.