Apexification Outcomes in the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction: This epidemiological analysis used procedure codes from dental insurance claims data to identify apexification cases and evaluate survival at the tooth -level. Methods: Dental insurance claims data from New York State (2006-2019) and Massachusetts (2013-2018) were used in an observational, retrospective cohort study to evaluate the provision and treatment outcomes of apexification. Statistical analyses included Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox proportional hazards regression. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to evaluate the hazard of adverse event occur-rence by age, gender, tooth type, placement of permanent restoration, and dental provider type. A sensitivity analysis evaluated potential bias in the survival estimates and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) due to differential loss to follow-up. Robust standard errors were used to account for potential dependence between teeth within an individual. Results: The analytic cohort of 575 individuals included 632 teeth, with an average follow-up time of 64 months. The survival rates of apexification procedures were 95% at 1 year; 93% at 2 years; 90% at 3 years; and 86% at 5 years. Tooth retention following apexification was 98% at 1 year; 96% at 2 years; 95% at 3 years; and 90% at 5 years. Tooth type and subsequent placement of a permanent restoration were significant predictors of survival after apexification. Conclusions: The procedural and tooth survival outcomes of apexification were high and comparable to studies that analyzed clinical data on tooth survival following apexification. (J Endod 2023;49:1269-1275.)