Figure 12.

Difficulty in visualizing furcal and apical lesions with periapical radiography due to lack of coverage, anatomic superimposition, and geometric distortion is well established. The periapical radiograph (a) of the maxillary right second molar in an asymptomatic patient is unremarkable; however there is lack of coverage of the second molar posteriorly and marked superimposition of the distal root of the first molar over the mesial root of the second molar. The corresponding cropped sagittal CBCT image (b) of the second molar demonstrates a furcal radiolucency and associated periradicular periodontitis. Subsequent clinical investigation found this tooth to be nonvital.