Morphologic criteria for root canal treatment of primary molars undergoing resorption

The endodontic anatomy of primary molars is difficult to predict because of the balance of resorption and hard tissue deposition. In particular, the resorption causes perforating lacunae across the wall of the root, even at the furcation level, and modifies shape, dimension and position of endodontic apex. The phenomenon can be so deep as to compromise endodontic therapy. The first aim of the study was to verify if reliable criteria can be found for treatability in primary molars undergoing resorption, i.e. if it is possible to predict if perforating lacunae are present or not. The second aim of the study was to verify if other informations needed for endodontic treatment, as shape, dimension and location of the apex, and curvature of the root canal can be predicted. For the study, 80 extracted primary molars, 75 of which pulpally involved by caries, were selected. The treatability was evaluated in term of root length, root shape, dimension and shape of endodontic apex, age of the patient and X-ray index of resorption. The association between variables was performed by multiple correspondence analysis. The results suggested that root length was the most reliable criterion of the integrity of the root. The borderline of treatability was at the length of 4 mm. The position of endodontic apex related to anatomical apex, and the lingual related to the buccal root length were analyzed by linear regression analysis. The canal length was often similar to the root length (i.e. the endo and anatomical apices were very close) in lower and upper molars. However, in lower molars, if two or more canals were present in the same root, a discrepancy was observed between buccal and lingual root length. This finding was constant in first lower molars. In addition regression analysis provided a linear function between the lengths of the buccal and lingual side of the same root in lower molars. Its coefficient b was 0.73.