The C‑shaped root canal systems in mandibular second molars in an Emirati population

Abstract

Abstract: Our study aimed to describe the root and canal morphology of mandibular second molars in Emirati population and to study the prevalence and types of morphological change in C-shaped canal confguration along the root length in an efort to describe C-shaped molars as a unit. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans of Emirati patients were analyzed in multiple plans and root and canal confguration of mandibular second molars were evaluated. Moreover, specifc types of morphological change in C-shaped canal confguration along root length were studied and reconstructed using 3D reconstruction software. A total of 508 mandibular second molars were evaluated. Among the non-C-shaped mandibular second molars, two separate roots were the most prevalent root morphology (78.3%). The mesial root’s most common root canal confguration was Vertucci Type II (46.5%), and in the distal root, Vertucci Type I (90.5%). The prevalence of C-shaped mandibular second molars was 17.9% and was signifcantly prevalent (P< 0.001) in females. Specifc types of morphological change in C-shaped molars along the root length were observed and described for the frst time, in which the most common types of morphological change were C1-C2-C3d (18%), C1-C3c-C3d (15.4%), C4-C3c-C3d (7.7%), and C3c-C3c-C3d (7.7%). This study showed wide variations in the root and canal morphology in mandibular second molars in Emirati population with a relatively high prevalence of C-shaped canal confguration (17.9%). Moreover, specifc types of morphological change in C-shaped confguration were detected and described for the frst time in this population.