Furcation-involved molar teeth - part 1: prevalence, classification and assessment

Furcation-involved molars are a common presentation in general dental practice. Teeth with increasing degrees of furcation involvement are at a higher risk of requiring extraction. The assessment and management of these teeth may be complicated by difficulties in accessing the furcation for both the clinician and patient. However, with appropriate supportive therapy, these teeth have been shown to have acceptable survival rates. This first article reviews and discusses the classification, assessment and the non-surgical management of furcation-involved molar teeth. An improved understanding of how to appropriately manage these teeth can result in improved outcomes for patients.