Incidence of accessory canals in Japanese anterior maxillary teeth following root canal filling ex vivo.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the vertical and horizontal distribution and the incidence of accessory canals in Japanese maxillary anterior teeth following root filling.


METHODS
The study included maxillary teeth; 69 central incisors, 61 lateral incisors and 31 canines. After the canal systems had been dyed and root canal instrumentation had been carried out, all prepared canals were filled with gutta-percha without using sealer. Transparent specimens were then obtained and examined with a digital microscope for horizontal and vertical distributions of accessory canals.


RESULTS
The incidence of teeth with accessory canals in the apical 3 mm was 46%, 29% and 38% for the maxillary central incisors, lateral incisors and canines, respectively. The horizontal distribution was mainly buccal for central incisors, palatal for lateral incisors and distal and palatal for canines. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the apical 3 mm and the rest of the root (16%, 20% and 19% for the maxillary central incisors, lateral incisors and canines, respectively) in terms of the presence of accessory canals.


CONCLUSIONS
A high percentage of accessory canals can be found in apical 3 mm of the root. The horizontal distribution of accessory canals differed amongst the tooth types studied.
Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. c.adorno.endo@tmd.ac.jp
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CG
Adorno
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Yoshioka
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Suda
D004396:Coloring Agents; D003481:Cuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003804:Dentin / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006171:Gutta-Percha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007564:Japan; D008437:Maxilla; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000033:anatomy & histology
D004396:Coloring Agents; D012387:Root Canal Filling Materials; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants; D006171:Gutta-Percha; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite