Success and failure of non-surgical endodontic treatment –A literature review

The aim of endodontic treatment is to prevent and treat apical periodontitis. To determine the outcome of endodontic treatment, clinical and radiographic evaluations need to be done at the follow up appointments. After complete assessment, the result of endodontic treatment can be categorized as successful or failed based on clinical and radiographic features. It can also be classified as healed, healing or diseased depending on the periapical status of the treated tooth. This review article includes both these criteria. It explains the clinical and radiographic features and their role in differentiating successful and failed cases. It also emphasizes on the importance of patient related factors, iatrogenic errors and post treatment factors like coronal seal that can directly influence the outcome of endodontic treatment.