Periapical bone loss

What it means

Radiolucency (reflecting a reduction in the bony substance) around the apex (the tip of the dental root).

Periapical radiolucencies can be seen with periapical granuloma, cysts, ameloblastoma, odotogenic keratatoycsts, and other lesions.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Bone loss around tooth root · Periapical cyst · Periapical granuloma · Periapical lesion · Periapical radiolucencies · Periapical radiolucency