Root canal morphology and configuration of 123 maxillary second molars by means of micro-CT

Abstract

A detailed morphological study of the root canal system of upper second molar teeth could lead to better root canal treatment. Thomas Gerhard Wolf from the Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center in Mainz, Germany, and colleagues scanned 123 extracted maxillary second molars using a three-dimensional X-ray imaging technique called micro-computed tomography. They evaluated the configuration of the teeth’s root canals using a four-digit classification system that divides each root into thirds with a fourth digit that describes the number of openings through which nerves and blood vessels pass. The researchers found little variation in two of the three roots, but the mesiobuccal root had 15 different configurations, more than had been observed previously with standard analytical techniques. The findings demonstrate the usefulness of the new imaging method and lay the groundwork for more precise root canal treatment.

Keywords

accessory and connecting canals / apical foramina / maxillary second molar / micro-CT / morphology / root canal configuration

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