Influence of bacteria and dental root canal pH on the formation of maxillary radicular cyst: about a case.

Radicular cysts are odontogenic, inflammatory lesions, following pulp necrosis, occurring after decay or trauma. All bacterial species that are present in the root canal after pulp necrosis are potentially pathogenic and capable of inducing peri-apical inflammation and bone resorption. In pulp necrosis, the pH of the root canal is 5.3. The acidosis tends to disappear to leave a neutral and even alkaline environment which is favorable to anaerobic bacteria. The evolution of radicular cyst is often asymptomatic, without spontaneous healing. The diagnosis should be confirmed by an anatomopathological examination. Treatment is often radical. the therapy consists often in surgical treatment (cyst enucleation), however, small radicular cysts can be treated just by conventional root canal treatment.