title: Unusual Deviation of the Main Foramen from the Root Apex.
abstract: The relationship of the main foramen to the anatomic root apex has been the subject of several studies. Although they are anatomically close, they rarely coincide, and their distance can vary according to age or tooth type, ranging from 0.2 to 3.0 mm. The aim of this short communication was to evaluate the distance between the main foramen of independent middle mesial canals (MMCs) and the anatomical mesial root apex of mandibular first molars using the micro-computed tomography. Twenty-five mandibular first molars with MMCs were scanned (resolution of 9.9 µm), and the distance from its main foramen to the anatomical apex was evaluated. Overall, the distance ranged from 0.2 to 2.4 mm; however, in 3 specimens the distance was greater than 3 mm. This report demonstrates that the exit of the main foramen of the MMC varies considerably and could approach a substantial distance from the anatomical apex greater than previously reported in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP - Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Versiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, MY, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hany Mohamed Aly
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, USP - Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manoel Damião de
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sousa-Neto
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, UNIGRANRIO - Universidade Grande Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De-Deus
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Paul Michael Howell
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Dummer
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000473:pathology*