Root morphology of mandibular molars: a cone-beam computed tomography study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Endodontics
• Radiology

Background:

• Assessing root and root canal anatomy of mandibular molars is crucial for endodontic treatment.
• Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides detailed 3D imaging for anatomical studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the number and anatomical classification of roots and root canals in mandibular first and second molars.
• To investigate the prevalence of C-shaped canals in this population.
• To analyze root and canal morphology in a Chilean population using CBCT.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated CBCT scans of 1022 mandibular molars from 289 patients (aged 14-86).
• Classified root and root canal morphology according to Ahmed's 2016 classification.
• Statistical analysis included Pearson's chi-squared test and ANOVA.

Main Results:

• 93.05% of molars had two roots; 6.95% had one root.
• The most frequent root canal morphologies were ²MM M² D¹, ²MM M²⁻¹ D¹, and ²MM M¹ D¹.
• C-shaped canals were found in 7.1% of molars, more prevalent in women (p=0.024).

Conclusions:

• Mandibular molar internal anatomy exhibits significant variability in the Chilean population.
• The most common morphology was two roots and three canals.
• CBCT is effective for detailed analysis of root canal systems.