Periapical Granuloma
Pronunciation: pair-ee-AY-pik-al gran-yoo-LOH-mah
A mass of chronically inflamed granulation tissue forming at the apex of a non-vital tooth in response to bacterial products from an infected root canal.
Full Definition
A periapical granuloma is the most common periapical lesion, representing a localised collection of chronically inflamed fibrous and granulation tissue at the root apex. It develops as a defence response to microbial toxins and breakdown products emanating from a necrotic pulp. Radiographically it appears as a periapical radiolucency and is indistinguishable from a radicular cyst without histopathological examination. Editors must not conflate it with 'granuloma' used in other medical contexts (e.g., pyogenic granuloma, foreign body granuloma), and must note that the term refers to a specific periapical lesion rather than a true granuloma in the histopathological sense.
Usage
Usage note: Always use the full form 'periapical granuloma' — plain 'granuloma' is ambiguous in cross-specialty documents.
In Context
- "The extracted specimen was submitted for histology, which confirmed a periapical granuloma rather than a cyst." — Oral surgery pathology report
- "The term 'granuloma' in this context is a clinical descriptor, not a true granuloma histologically — editors should retain the full term 'periapical granuloma' for clarity." — Dental journal copy-editing note