Anatomic Characteristics of the Apex of the Tooth Root in Georgian Population Using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

Abstract

BACKGROUND The knowledge of topography and morphology of the anatomical landmarks located in the apical third of the root is crucial for successful endodontic treatment. The apical third of the root is the narrowest part of the root which should be processed with the minimally invasive method to create an ideal space for obturation. OBJECTIVES The apical third of the roots has not been conducted in Georgia, therefore there is no map of the apical third variations of the tooth canals of the Georgian population. Our study aimed to investigate the single-rooted teeth’s anatomical foramen form, number, and topography in the Georgian population with a scanning electron microscope. METHODS For the study, we have selected 102 single-rooted teeth extracted from the upper and lower jaws of humans. For the preparation of extracted teeth, we used a protocol based on the general rules of tooth preparation available in the literature. The morphological study of the samples was performed with a JOEL company scanning electron microscope (GSM 6510LV), which is equipped with an English company Oxford Instrument energy dispersive micro-X-ray spectral analyzer, X-Max. RESULTS The most common shape of the anatomical foramen in the population of Georgia was round (54.90%) and oval (39.21%). It was found that only one anatomical hole in the upper central incisors was noted in the entire population. In the teeth of all the other groups we studied, we described one or more anatomical foramen. It was also interesting to study deviations of anatomical foramens. The research showed, that most often the anatomical foramen was at the peak of the root apex and had the distal position from it. The degree of deviation in the teeth of the upper and lower jaw was 50.98% of total. CONCLUSIONS 54.90% of the anatomical tooth root foramen of the population of Georgia have a round shape, 39.21% have an oval shape, and the other shapes are found only in 5.88%. 1 anatomical foramen at the apex of the tooth root in 79.41% of cases, and 2 holes or more in 20.58%. The central opening of the apical foramen was described in 50 teeth (49.02%).