Conservative management of a periradicular lesion associated with a palatogingival groove

Abstract

The palatogingival groove (PGG) is a developmental malformation that occurs near the cingulum of a tooth and extends along the root to varying lengths.[1,2] This malformation is known by different names, including the radicular groove,[3] a palatal groove,[4] a radicular lingual groove,[5] a disto-lingual groove,[6] a vertical developmental radicular groove,[5] a cinguloradicular groove,[7] a developmental radicular anomaly,[8] an interruption groove,[9] and a coronoradicular groove.[10] Although the exact etiology of PGGs remains unclear, alteration of genetic mechanisms, enfolding of the enamel organ and Hertwig’s epithelial root sheath, and the effort required to form another root are considered as causal elements of PGG.[1,6,8,11] Gu[11] classified PGGs into three types according to the degree of severity based on microcomputed tomography studies: In type I, the groove is short (not beyond the coronal third of the root); in type II, the groove is long (beyond the coronal third of the root) but shallow, corresponding to a normal or simple root canal; in type III, the groove is long (beyond the coronal third of the root) and deep, corresponding to a complex root canal system.