TY - JOUR
T1 - Root canal morphology of human maxillary and mandibular third molars
AU - Sidow, Stephanie J.
AU - West, Lesley A.
AU - Liewehr, Frederick R.
AU - Loushine, Robert J.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - The anatomy of third molars has been described as unpredictable. However restorative, prosthetic, and orthodontic considerations often require endodontic treatment of third molars in order for them to be retained as functional components of the dental arch. The purpose of this study was to investigate and characterize the anatomy of maxillary and mandibular third molars. One hundred fifty maxillary and 150 mandibular extracted third molars were vacuum-injected with dye, decalcified, and made transparent. The anatomy of the root canal system was then recorded. Seventeen percent of mandibular molars had one root (40% of which contained two canals), 77% had two roots, 5% had three roots, and 1% had four roots. Teeth with two roots exhibited highly variable canal morphology, containing from one to six canals, including 2.2% that were "C-shaped." Fifteen percent of maxillary molars had one root, 32% had two roots, 45% had three roots, and 7% had four roots. Teeth with one root demonstrated the most unusual morphology, with the number of canals varying from one to six. An in vivo study of the canal morphology of treated third molars is suggested to provide the practitioner with an understanding of the clinical implications of third molar root anatomy.
AB - The anatomy of third molars has been described as unpredictable. However restorative, prosthetic, and orthodontic considerations often require endodontic treatment of third molars in order for them to be retained as functional components of the dental arch. The purpose of this study was to investigate and characterize the anatomy of maxillary and mandibular third molars. One hundred fifty maxillary and 150 mandibular extracted third molars were vacuum-injected with dye, decalcified, and made transparent. The anatomy of the root canal system was then recorded. Seventeen percent of mandibular molars had one root (40% of which contained two canals), 77% had two roots, 5% had three roots, and 1% had four roots. Teeth with two roots exhibited highly variable canal morphology, containing from one to six canals, including 2.2% that were "C-shaped." Fifteen percent of maxillary molars had one root, 32% had two roots, 45% had three roots, and 7% had four roots. Teeth with one root demonstrated the most unusual morphology, with the number of canals varying from one to six. An in vivo study of the canal morphology of treated third molars is suggested to provide the practitioner with an understanding of the clinical implications of third molar root anatomy.
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U2 - 10.1097/00004770-200011000-00011
DO - 10.1097/00004770-200011000-00011
M3 - Article
C2 - 11469300
AN - SCOPUS:0034331101
SN - 0099-2399
VL - 26
SP - 675
EP - 678
JO - Journal of endodontics
JF - Journal of endodontics
IS - 11
ER -