A comparative study of dentin thickness of primary human molars

The aim of the present survey was to evaluate the dentin thickness of buccal, lingual, mesial and distal surfaces of first and second primary molars. These evaluations were done at the middle third of the crowns of twenty extracted non-carious primary teeth separated in two groups (first molars and second molars). Comparisons were performed within-groups and between-groups. The mean values of dentin thickness observed for first molars were 2430 mm (buccal), 1.869 mm (lingual), 1.655 mm (mesial) and 1.664 mm (distal). For second molars the dentin thickness presented 3.006 mm (buccal), 2730 mm (lingual), 2130 mm (mesial) and 2192 mm (distal). The dentin thickness was higher in the buccal surface in both groups (P<0.05; Wilcoxon Test), except for the lingual surface of second molars (P>0.05). No differences were observed between mesial and distal surfaces in both groups (P>0.05). Comparisons between-groups showed that the dentin thickness was higher in all surfaces of second molars (P<0.01; Mann-Whitney Test). It was concluded that there are differences in the dentin thickness between first and second primary human molars and within the different surfaces of such teeth.