title: Detection of a second mesiobuccal canal in maxillary molars by swept-source optical coherence tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of swept-source optical coherence tomographic (SS-OCT) imaging to detect a second mesiobuccal canal (MB2) in maxillary molars compared with visual inspection (VI) and dental operating microscopy (DOM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty extracted human maxillary molars were examined. After the removal of half the crown and access cavity preparation, the existence of MB2 canals was confirmed based on cross-sectional images of each tooth obtained by micro-computed tomographic scanning as the reference standard. Then, the pulp chamber floor was scanned by SS-OCT imaging. Three dentists independently evaluated the SS-OCT images and the pulp chamber floor under VI and DOM for the presence of MB2 canals. The detection rate of MB2 canals for SS-OCT imaging, VI, and DOM was calculated, and statistical analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MB2 canals existed in 19 of 40 teeth (47.5%) using micro-CT imaging. Sensitivity of DOM (0.947) was significantly higher than that of SS-OCT imaging (0.632). Specificity of SS-OCT imaging (0.714) was significantly higher than that of DOM (0.333). No statistically significant differences were found for accuracy among the 3 methods. Kappa values of SS-OCT, VI, and DOM were 0.526, 0.417, and 0.326, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SS-OCT imaging is noninvasive, involves no ionizing radiation, and is accurate for the detection of MB2 canals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iino
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: a.ebihara.endo@tmd.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Arata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanada
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiwako
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.affiliation: Department for Advanced Dental Research Center of Advanced Medicine for Dental and Oral Diseases, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suda
mesh_terms: D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008437:Maxilla; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008963:Molar / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012015:Reference Standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000592:standards
keywords: Canal detection; mesiobuccal canal; molar; optical coherence tomography