title: Presence of two distal and one mesial root canals in mandibular second molars: report of four cases.
abstract: Most mandibular second molars have one and two canals in distal and mesial roots, respectively. This report represents four cases of mandibular second molars with a single mesial and two distal root canals with two different canal configurations. After access cavity preparation, two teeth had one distal and two mesial orifices, whereas in the two other teeth one mesial and two distal orifices were found. In the teeth with two mesial canal orifices, the distal root canal and one of root canals with a mesial orifice joined together in the apical part of the root, whereas in the two other teeth with one mesial and two distal canal orifices, three separate canals each with a different apical foramen were detected. Dental practitioners should be aware that despite higher prevalence of one distal and two mesial root canals, the mandibular second molars may also have one mesial and two distal root canals.
authors.affiliation: Oral and Dental Diseases Research Center, Dental School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parirokh
authors.affiliation: Dental School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: V Abbott
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontic, Dental School, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hosein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Yosefi
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontic, Dental School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Hosseini
keywords: Anatomic Variation; CBCT; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Mandibular Molar; Root Canal Morphology; Root Canal Therapy; Tooth Abnormalities; Tooth Anatomy