Morphologic evaluation of maxillary premolar canals in a subpopulation from southern Brazil: a cone beam computed tomography study

AIM . To evaluate the anatomic variations of both maxillary premolars by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS . Data were evaluated from 599 exams (313 women and 286 men), scanned by 300 Maxio CT, Instrumentarium®/Kavo Dental Excellence, FOV 5x5 and voxel 0.085 mm. The images were evaluated by two endodontists using Vertucci’s classification. RESULTS . The prevalence of maxillary premolars with more than one root was higher in men (48.3%) than in women (29.7%) (p < 0.05). A higher percentage of type I and type III canals (53.1% and 20.2%, respectively) was observed in the second premolar (15.0%) with only one root than in the first premolars (14.3%). The percentage of IV, V, VI, and VII type canals was higher in the first premolars. Most teeth with two roots had a root canal of the type IV, both in the first premolar (97.9%) and in the second premolar (93.5%). When all teeth were considered, regardless of the number of roots, the first maxillary premolar showed a higher prevalence of type IV root canals (68.0%) and the second maxillary premolar showed a higher prevalence of type I root canals (46.4%) (p < 0.05). There was a significant association between gender and the number of maxillary premolar roots in a southern Brazilian subpopulation. Most maxillary first premolars had two roots with a type IV configuration and this configuration was common in males, while second premolars tended to be singlerooted and with a type I configuration and were common in women.