FROM FALSE TO TRUE: LESIONS THAT MIMIC PERIAPICAL INFECTIONS AND THE RISKS OF MISDIAGNOSIS

Abstract

In dental practice, the presence of a radiolucent image around the root apex often directs clinical thinking toward an obvious response: pulp necrosis and bacterial infection. However, this apparent evidence hides a latent danger. It is estimated that a significant portion of these manifestations actually corresponds to lesions of non-endodontic origin. The clinical and radiographic similarity of these pathologies to common infections creates a scenario of high vulnerability for misdiagnoses. Among these lesions are odontogenic cysts and tumors, keratocysts, and even primary and metastatic malignancies. This article is a literature review aimed at identifying the main lesions that mimic endodontic pathologies and discussing the essential diagnostic criteria for clinical differentiation.