Archives

Introduction: Maxillary first premolar teeth have complex root canal system, which varies on ethnic background, gender, age and study design. For successful outcome complete understanding of root canal system is necessary.

Objective: To evaluate the external and internal anatomy of maxillary first premolar teeth in a sample of Nepali population using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Materials and Method: This quantitative, analytical, cross-sectional observational study was conducted from 2020 November to 2023 March in department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics and Oral Medicine and Radiology in People’s Dental College and Hospital after receiving institutional ethical approval. Cone beam computed tomography images of 261 maxillary first premolars with completely formed roots were used. The research was conducted taking a tooth as a unit. Convenience sampling technique was done. The number of roots, canals and canal configuration were recorded. The total tooth and root length was measured. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS V22.

Result: Among the samples, 172 (65.9%), 88 (33.7%), and one (0.4%) had one, two and three roots respectively; and 17 (6.5%), 241 (92.3%) and three (1.1%) had one, two and three root canals respectively. The most frequent configuration was type IV, followed by type II, type I, and type VIII. The mean total length and root length were found to be 20.61±1.68 mm and 13±1.88 mm.

Conclusion: Single-rooted and type IV canal configuration is common finding. Moreover, single-rooted premolar has diverse canal configuration.

Cone beam computed tomography; maxillary first premolar; root canal configuration; root canal morphology.