ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) detected in cone beam CT (CBCT) images from a database. METHODS: CBCT images of 300 Brazilian patients were assessed. AP images were measured in three dimensions. Age, gender, number and location of total teeth in each patient were considered. AP location was considered according to tooth groups. The extent of AP was determined by the largest diameter in any of the three dimensions. Percentages and the χ(2) test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: AP was found in 51.4% of the patients and in 3.4% of the teeth. Higher prevalence of AP was found in 60- to 69-year-olds (73.1%) and in mandibular molars (5.9%) (p < 0.05). Inadequate endodontic treatment presented higher prevalence of AP (78.1%). CONCLUSIONS: AP can be frequently found in CBCT examinations. The presence of AP has a significant association with patients' age, and tooth type and condition. CBCT databases are useful for cross-sectional studies about AP prevalence in a population.