Internal inflammatory resorption - Differential diagnosis

Internal inflammatory root resorption (top right) may sometimes be difficult to differentiate from cervical resorption (top left), particularly if the cervical resorption is superimposed on the root canal in a radiograph.

The tooth is usually symptom-free in both types of resorption and the pulp may be vital (only partly in internal resorption) or necrotic. However, unless cervical resorption has caused massive destruction of the root, canal boundaries can often be seen "through" the resorption radiographically. In internal resorption canal boundaries always disappear as the canal enlarges (often symmetrically) as a result of the resorption.