title: Root canal configuration and the prevalence of C-shaped canals in mandibular second molars in an Iranian population.
abstract: A total of 139 extracted mandibular second molars were injected with India ink and demineralized. They were made clear and transparent with methyl salicylate, and the anatomy of their canals was studied. It was found that 86.3% of mandibular second molars had two roots, 9.3% had one root, and 4.3% had three roots. Ninety percent of the mesial roots of the mandibular second molars with two roots had two canals (predominantly with a type II or III configuration), and 77.5% of the distal roots of these teeth had one canal (predominantly with a type I configuration). Among the mandibular second molars, 7.2% had C-shaped canals and these configurations were seen mostly in single-rooted mandibular second molars. The results of this study indicate that mandibular second molar teeth have many variations in the number of roots and the morphology of their canals. Therefore it should not be assumed that all mandibular second molar teeth have two roots and three canals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Tabriz Dental School, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. rahimidarehchi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.forename: Shahriar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahi
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lotfi
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zand
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdolrahimi
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Es'haghi
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003648:Decalcification Technique; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000473:pathology*; D000431:Ethanol; D005404:Fixatives; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008334:Mandible; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology*; D012459:Salicylates; D012997:Solvents; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D005404:Fixatives; D012459:Salicylates; D012997:Solvents; C028433:chinese ink; D000431:Ethanol; D002244:Carbon; C033069:methyl salicylate