The Effect of Tooth Location on the Success and Failure of Endodontic Treatment: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Endodontic treatment is preferred to save the inside of the tooth, which is being infected by bacteria. There are many factors that can influence the outcome of an endodontic treatment. One of the most challenging factors is the anatomy of the tooth itself on which the endodontic treatment is planned. The location and type of tooth and structure of the root canal influence the anatomy of the tooth. This study aims to determine the effect of tooth location on the success rate of an endodontic treatment from the existing literature. Eight studies were included in this review with a total sample size of 6,056 patients who underwent endodontic treatment. All studies showed the outcome of endodontic treatment in the context of tooth type. Studies were consistent with the fact that the overall success rate of endodontic treatment is higher in anterior incisors as compared to premolars and molars owing to the number of canals per tooth and the comparative operational difficulty between incisors and molars while performing an endodontic treatment. Therefore, the findings in this review suggest that tooth location is a significant factor that can influence the outcome of endodontic treatment.