Morphological assessment of furcal portals in human molars using scanning electron microscopy

AIM. To evaluate the prevalence of furcal portals in human molars using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as to analyze their morphological characteristics and potential associations with sex, age, and anatomical localization. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study included 230 molars extracted from patients of both sexes for reasons unrelated to the research. Samples were prepared following a standard protocol: fixation, dehydration, sputter-coating with platinum, and visualization using a Vega3 TESCAN SEM. The following parameters were assessed: presence of a furcal portal, its shape, localization, and the patient’s sex and age. Statistical analysis included Pearson’s χ² test, Student’s t -test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA); significance level was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS. Furcal portals were identified in 34 cases (14.8%). A statistically significant correlation was found between patient age and presence of a portal ( p = 0.000043). The association with sex did not reach statistical significance, although a tendency toward higher prevalence in males was observed. The most common portal shape was round (44.1%), followed by oval (41.2%) and slit-like (14.7%). In most cases, portals were localized in the center of the bifurcation (76.5%), less frequently in the center of the trifurcation (23.5%). No significant associations between shape or localization and age were found ( p = 0.704 and p = 0.681, respectively). By anatomical groups, the highest prevalence of portals was recorded in mandibular first molars (47.1%), followed by mandibular second molars and maxillary first molars. CONCLUSIONS. Furcal portals represent a stable morphological structure, more frequently observed in older patients. The most common shape is round, and the predominant localization is in the center of the bifurcation. Their prevalence varies across anatomical groups, with mandibular first molars showing the highest frequency. These findings have practical implications for periodontic and endodontic treatment planning, underscoring the importance of considering morphological features of the furcal region.