title: Prevalence of taurodontism in premolars among patients at a tertiary care institution in Trinidad.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of taurodontism in premolars in a group of adult dental patients in Trinidad and Tobago since there is no such data available for the region.
  
  
  METHODS
  Periapical and orthopantomograms of 1090 randomly selected patients were examined for the presence of an apically displaced pulp chamber without the usual constriction at the cementoenamel junction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of taurodontism in a sample of 1090 patients was 11.28%. Of the 5324 premolars examined, 4.79% were taurodonts. Prevalence of taurodontism was higher in males (6.46%) compared to females (3.66%). A Statistically significant difference (p < 0.0001) was observed in the prevalence of taurodontism in mandibular premolars compared to maxillary premolars (9.07% vs 0.56%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of taurodontism in premolars among Trinidadian patients, as assessed by radiographic study, was 4.79% and it was higher in the males compared to females. Significant differences were also observed between mandibular and maxillary premolars.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. pillai43@yahoo.com
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Scipio
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nayar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Louis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001641:Bicuspid; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D014071:Tooth Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology