Description of the Morphology of the Root Canal System in Maxillary Premolars Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography in a Chilean Population

Juan Acevedo-Tavie; Patricio Méndez-Vera; Pablo Ríos & Cristian Rosas-Méndez

Summary

Endodontic treatment requires detailed knowledge of root morphology. In maxillary premolars, variability in root number and root canal system (RCS) morphology has been reported. The most frequent cause of endodontic failure is non treated canals. Therefore, a better understanding of RCS morphology and its variations is crucial for endodontic treatment. The aim of this research was to describe the frequency of root number and SCR morphology in maxillary premolars, by means of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) examinations in a Chilean population. A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out in which the morphology of the root canal system of maxillary first and second premolars was observed through CBCT examinations, grouping them according to the Vertucci Classification. A total of 228 CBCT examinations were observed, which included 268 upper first premolars and 233 maxillary second premolars. It was determined that in maxillary first premolars 56.3 % presented one root, 43.3 %, being more frequent a SCR type IV morphology. In maxillary second premolars, the presence of one root was determined in 95.7 % of the cases, being more frequent a SCR type I morphology. These results may be of interest to endodontists, since knowing the morphology of the RCS of maxillary premolars allows improving the planning of endodontic therapy performed on these teeth.

KEY WORDS: root canal system, morphology, maxillary premolar, cone beam computed tomography.

How to cite this article

ACEVEDO-TAVIE, J.; MÉNDEZ-VERA, P.; RÍOS, P. ROSAS-MÉNDEZ, C. Description of the morphology of the root canal system in maxillary premolars using cone beam computed tomography in a Chilean population. Int. J. Odontostomat., 18(1):51-55, 2024.