title: Assessing pulp stones by cone-beam computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of pulp stones by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and to correlate their prevalence with patient's gender, location of tooth (right or left of maxillary or mandibular arch), group of teeth, and restorations.
  
  
  METHODS
  CBCT images of 382 patients randomly selected from the database of the University Oral Radiology Department were retrospectively examined. A total of 2833 tooth images obtained using the i-CAT 3D Imaging System were evaluated. Image analysis was performed with the i-CAT software, and all teeth were evaluated in sagittal, axial, and coronal views. All the measurements were subjected to chi square test, odds ratio, and Fisher's exact tests (p < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of pulp stones was similar between patient's genders and tooth locations. Pulp stones were detected in 31.9% of patients and 9.5% of teeth. Maxillary and mandibular molars were the groups of teeth with the highest frequency of pulp stones. The presence of restorations increased the chance of occurrence of pulp stones by 2.1 times in all teeth examined (p < 0.0001) and by 4.7 times in maxillary teeth (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pulp stones had a high prevalence with molar teeth showing the highest prevalence. The presence of restorations increased the chance of occurrence of these calcifications, specifically in maxillary teeth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CBCT provides accurate anatomical details in three dimensions, offering the possibility to view an individual tooth in axial, sagittal, and coronal views. This study performed an investigation of the occurrence of pulp stones by CBCT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Grande Rio University (UNIGRANRIO), Rua Herotides de Oliveira, 61/902. Icaraí, Niterói, RJ, Brazil. nogueiraemmanuel@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Emmanuel João Nogueira Leal
authors.initials: EJNL
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Grande Rio University (UNIGRANRIO), Rua Herotides de Oliveira, 61/902. Icaraí, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marina C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Polyane M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nejaim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danieli M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Brasil
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Carlos
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Groppo
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haiter-Neto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D003784:Dental Pulp Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Clinical study; Cone-beam computed tomography; Dental pulp calcification; Prevalence; Pulp stones