AN EVALUATION OF ROOT AND CANAL MORPHOLOGY OF MAXILLARY PREMOLARS IN A NIGERIAN TERTIARY HOSPITAL: AN IN-VIVO STUDY

Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the root morphology of maxillary first and second premolars and identify any gender variation in a
Nigerian population using direct digital radiography.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four maxillary first premolars and 29 maxillary second premolars from 53 consenting
Nigerian adults indicated for root canal treatment were studied. All teeth received pre-treatment evaluation before
endodontic treatment. Digital radiographs obtained during treatment and follow-up reviews were stored and evaluated
using the Kodak Dental smart software.

RESULTS: The majority of the treated participants were young adults with a mean age ± SD of 34.1 ± 12 years. Maxillary first
premolars were mostly two rooted (66.7%), while the maxillary second premolars predominantly had one root (72.4%)
(p=0.004) in the studied population. However, two-rooted second premolar teeth occurred more frequently among males
in this study. Most of the maxillary first (87.5%) and second (79.3%) premolar teeth had two root canals with a mean
working length of 21.85mm and 21.75mm, respectively. The proportion of two canals in male participants was higher in the
first than in the second premolars but the difference was not significant (p≥ 0.05). The Vertucci type IV canal configuration
was predominantly seen in both genders' maxillary first and second premolars.

CONCLUSION: Maxillary first premolars mainly were two rooted while the second premolars predominantly had single root
with a high prevalence of two canals in the studied population. Gender difference in the studied maxillary premolars was
not statistically significant