The extent of bone loss around a tooth, though felt to indicate the severity of its infection, does not do so. Doctors Basker and Stern, in separate studies, reported that 85 to 100 percent of dental granulomas and redicular cysts do not contain bacteria. This does not mean the tooth itself is not infected.

Because lateral canals can contain infection, dentists have been taught to advise root filled teeth be x-rayed each year or two.

Both pointed out that the visual areas of abnormalities on x-ray pictures are not necessarily areas of infection harboring bacteria. Dr. Stern stated that, for the most part, such visible areas are lisions that have been identified as radicular cysts and granulomas.

These studies are yet another substantiation of discoveries made by Dr. Price in this regard some 45 years previous to the publication of the Baskar and Stern articles.