Prevalence of radix entomolaris and fused roots in mandibular permanent molars of a North Indian population: A hospital-based retrospective radiographic study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the frequency of occurrence of a supernumerary distolingual root (radix entomolaris [RE]) in mandibular first molars and fused roots in mandibular second molars in North Indian population. Materials and Methods: A total of 1028 intraoral periapical radiographs of mandibular first and second molar areas from 514 subjects were retrospectively screened. The radiographs were separately inspected after placing them over a viewing box using magnifying glasses. The gender, side, and bilateral occurrence of RE and fused roots were recorded, and the results were statistically analyzed using the Chi-square test. Results: The prevalence of patients with RE was 7.58% (39 of 514), 10.41% for females (23 of 221) and 5.46% for males (16 of 293) which was statistically significant (χ2 = 10.066; P = 0.002). The prevalence among the total first molars examined was 4.66% (48 of 1028), 4.28% for right side (22 of 514) and 5.05% on the left side (26 of 514) which was nonsignificant (χ2 = 0.350, P = 0.554). The bilateral occurrence was 1.75% (9 of 514). The prevalence of patients with a fused root in mandibular second molar was 11.47% (59 of 514), 16.74% (37 of 221) for females and 7.51% for males (22 of 293). The prevalence of fused roots among all second molars screened was 5.93% (61 of 1028), 6.42% for the left side (33 of 514) and 5.44% (28 of 514). The difference according to gender was statistically significant (χ2 = 12.381; P Conclusions: The clinician should be familiar with the ethnic variations in root and root canal morphology while treating the mandibular first and second molars.