The prevalence of oval root canals in the apical and middle third of mandibular molars and premolars

Abstract

Introduction. Oval root canals are all groups of human teeth. In such canals it is a challenge to fulfill the necessary preconditions for a successful outcome of root canal therapy - complete cleaning, shaping and obturation. Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate the shape and diameter of root canals in the apical and middle third of human mandibular molars and premolars, to determine the prevalence and extent of long oval canals. Materials and methods. The study was carried out on 80 extracted human teeth, 40 molars and 40 premolars. The teeth were placed in a specially designed muffle mould and embedded in transparent acrylic resin. After the polymerization of the acrylic resin, the teeth were taken out of the mould and sectioned at levels 3 and 6 mm from the apex. The cross-sections were photographed under 30? magnification using a digital camera. The long and short canal diameter were measured on the images and their ratio calculated. Results. In the apical third 22% of the premolars and 35% of the molars had oval root canal morphology. In the middle third 36% of premolars and 41 % of molars. Conclusion. Root canals of mandibular molars and premolars are often oval in their cross-section. They seem to be more frequently oval in their cross-section than previous studies have shown.