Pulp stones in unerupted teeth: a retrospective analysis using cone-beam computed tomography

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Pathology
• Radiology

Background:

• Pulp stones are calcified masses in dental pulp.
• Previous studies struggled to isolate non-oral factors influencing pulp stone formation.
• Unerupted teeth offer a unique model to study these factors due to lack of oral environmental exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of pulp stones in unerupted teeth.
• To identify associated factors, including age, gender, systemic disease, and chronic medication use, in a Saudi subpopulation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 644 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images.
• Inclusion of maxillary and mandibular unerupted teeth from 15-76 year-old patients.
• Chi-square tests to assess associations between pulp stones and demographic/clinical factors.

Main Results:

• Pulp stones were detected in 24.2% of jaws and 18.6% of unerupted teeth.
• No significant association found between pulp stones and gender.
• Significant positive correlations observed with increasing age, presence of systemic diseases, and chronic medication use.

Conclusions:

• Pulp stones can occur in any type of unerupted tooth.
• Age, systemic disease, and chronic medications are significant contributing factors to pulp stone formation.
• This study highlights the influence of systemic health on dental pulp calcification.