Francesc Abella1, Luís Miguel Teixidó1, Shanon Patel2, Francisco Sosa1, Fernando Duran-Sindreu1, Miguel Roig3. 1. Department of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain. 2. Conservative Dentistry, King's College London Dental Institute, London, United Kingdom. 3. Department of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: montserratmercade@gmail.com.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We investigated the root canal configuration of maxillary premolars in a Spanish population by using cone-beam computed tomography. METHODS: Images of 804 maxillary first and second premolars were obtained from 620 patients who underwent cone-beam computed tomography scanning during preoperative assessment (before implant surgery, orthodontic treatment, dentoalveolar trauma diagnosis, or difficult root canal treatment). We determined tooth position, number of roots, root canal configuration (Vertucci's classification), number of root canals, and number of apical foramina per root and used the χ(2) test to analyze the correlation between root number and tooth position. RESULTS: In the maxillary first premolar group (n = 430), 46% (n = 198) had 1 root, 51.4% (n = 221) had 2 roots, and 2.6% (n = 11) had 3 roots. Most exhibited a type IV canal configuration (n = 227, 52.8%). Single-rooted teeth had a more variable canal configuration, whereas most 2-rooted teeth showed a type IV configuration (n = 215, 97.3%). In the maxillary second premolar group (n = 374), 82.9% (n = 310) had 1 root, 15.5% (n = 58) had 2 roots, and 1.6% (n = 6) had 3 roots. The majority of single-rooted second premolars exhibited a type I configuration (n = 147, 47.2%). Overall, type VIII canals were only observed in 3-rooted teeth. No statistical correlation was evident between root number and gender and tooth position. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high frequency of 2-rooted and single-rooted teeth among maxillary first and second premolars, respectively. The canal morphology of single-rooted teeth was highly variable.
INTRODUCTION: We investigated the root canal configuration of maxillary premolars in a Spanish population by using cone-beam computed tomography. METHODS: Images of 804 maxillary first and second premolars were obtained from 620 patients who underwent cone-beam computed tomography scanning during preoperative assessment (before implant surgery, orthodontic treatment, dentoalveolar trauma diagnosis, or difficult root canal treatment). We determined tooth position, number of roots, root canal configuration (Vertucci's classification), number of root canals, and number of apical foramina per root and used the χ(2) test to analyze the correlation between root number and tooth position. RESULTS: In the maxillary first premolar group (n = 430), 46% (n = 198) had 1 root, 51.4% (n = 221) had 2 roots, and 2.6% (n = 11) had 3 roots. Most exhibited a type IV canal configuration (n = 227, 52.8%). Single-rooted teeth had a more variable canal configuration, whereas most 2-rooted teeth showed a type IV configuration (n = 215, 97.3%). In the maxillary second premolar group (n = 374), 82.9% (n = 310) had 1 root, 15.5% (n = 58) had 2 roots, and 1.6% (n = 6) had 3 roots. The majority of single-rooted second premolars exhibited a type I configuration (n = 147, 47.2%). Overall, type VIII canals were only observed in 3-rooted teeth. No statistical correlation was evident between root number and gender and tooth position. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high frequency of 2-rooted and single-rooted teeth among maxillary first and second premolars, respectively. The canal morphology of single-rooted teeth was highly variable.