• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of root fusion and C-shaped root canals in maxillary molars, and to classify the types of C-shaped canal by analyzing cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a Korean population. Materials and Methods: Digitized CBCT images from 911 subjects were obtained in Chosun University Dental Hospital between February 2010 and July 2012 for orthodontic treatment. Among them, a total of selected 3,553 data of maxillary molars were analyzed retrospectively. Tomography sections in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes were displayed by PiViewstar and Rapidia MPR software (Infinitt Co.). The incidence and types of root fusion and C-shaped root canals were evaluated and the incidence between the first and the second molar was compared using Chi-square test. Results: Root fusion was present in 3.2% of the first molars and 19.5% of the second molars, and fusion of mesiobuccal and palatal root was dominant. C-shaped root canals were present in 0.8% of the first molars and 2.7% of the second molars. The frequency of root fusion and C-shaped canal was significantly higher in the second molar than the first molar (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In a Korean population, maxillary molars showed total 11.3% of root fusion and 1.8% of C-shaped root canals. Furthermore, root fusion and C-shaped root canals were seen more frequently in the maxillary second molars.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2009

Purpose: To investigate the incidence and prevalence of C-shaped root canal using computed tomographic images of head and neck in Korean population. Materials and Methods : Regardless of each examination purpose, randomly selected 268 examples which have serial axial computed tomographic images with 8 normal molars in maxilla and mandible were selected and investigated. Defined C-shaped root canal and we could get 82 proper image examples in view of this definition. These were detected and investigated of incidence and prevalence of C-shaped root canal. Results: C-shaped root canals were found in 82 examples among 268 (30.6%) and 147 teeth. They were only found on molar area, and the highest incidence was 37.41% of left mandibular second molars, and the lowest was 2.04% of right maxillary second molars. On prevalence of tooth position, mandibular second molar was the highest, 65% of C-shaped root canal teeth and maxillary second molar was 6% the lowest. Conclusion: 31% of randomly selected CT images no considering check-up reason have C-shaped root canals. The C-shaped root canals of mandibular second molar are found most frequently and they are also detectable on maxilla. On Korean population, C-shaped root canals are one of conditions that have to concern with dental treatment for it appears at a high prevalence relatively. (Korean J Oral Maxillofac Radiol 2009; 39: 75-9)

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.104-111
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prevalence rate and types of C-shaped roots and C-shaped canal in maxillary molars by analyzing cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a Korean population. Materials and Methods: Total of 357 CBCT images of maxillary molars (186 first molar, 171 second molar) were evaluated by two Endodontic specialists. Results: Eight types of C-shaped roots and 5 types of C-shaped canals were founded, the prevalence rate of C-shaped roots and canals were 21.0% and 5.3% respectively. Conclusion: These anatomical variations were more frequent in second molars than the first molars. Clinicians should have anatomical knowledge about various types of C-shaped root and root canal for successful root canal therapy.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.203-210
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• 2012

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of the C-shaped canal of permanent mandibular second molar (PMSM) in Korean sub-population using Cone-Beam CT (CBCT) data and analyze the types of C-shaped canal. Materials & Methods: The protocol for this study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the Pusan National University Hospital (E-2011039). Among the CBCT images taken of patients who visited the St. Bennedict Dental Hospital (Busan, Korea) from May 2008 to April 2011 for implant surgery and surgical removal of impacted teeth, high-quality CBCTs from 705 patients (361 male and 342 female) were screened and 607 PMSMs of 383 patients were evaluated retrospectively. All PMSMs were anatomically analyzed in detail by using image viewer software (EasyDent; Vatech). PMSMs were evaluated in the axial plane to investigate the shape of root and canals. The C-shaped canals were classified into five types. The total incidence, gender ratio, bilateral and unilateral appearance. and the correlation between right-side and left-side occurrences of C-shaped PMSMs were computed and compared statistically using the chi-square test. Results: Among the 607 PMSMs of 383 CBCTs of 187 females and 196 males, 198 PMSMs(32.6%) had C-shaped root and 158 PMSMs(26.0%) had C-shaped canals. The shape of C-shaped root canals at the furcalion level did not have significant change at the level of mid root (P<0.0001). Female had more prevalence of C-shaped root canals than male (P<0.0001). The prevalence of bilateral occurrence of C-shaped root canals was higher than unilateral occurrence. Conclusions: The occurrence of C-shaped PMSMs among a Korean population was 32.6% and was higher than other countries and ethnicities. Understanding the prevalence of PMSMs with a C-shaped root and/or canal in a Korean population may be useful for successful endodontic treatments.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.68-73
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• 2016

This case report describes a unique C-shaped mandibular second premolar with four canals and three apical foramina and its endodontic management with the aid of cone-beam computer tomography (CBCT). C-shaped root canal morphology with four canals was identified under a dental operating microscope. A CBCT scan was taken to evaluate the aberrant root canal anatomy and devise a better instrumentation strategy based on the anatomy. All canals were instrumented to have a 0.05 taper using 1.0 mm step-back filing with appropriate apical sizes determined from the CBCT scan images and filled using a warm vertical compaction technique. A C-shaped mandibular second premolar with multiple canals is an anatomically rare case for clinicians, yet its endodontic treatment may require a careful instrumentation strategy due to the difficulty in disinfecting the canals in the thin root area without compromising the root structure.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.335-342
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• 2007

C-shaped canals are known to present a complex canal anatomy with numerous fins connecting individual canals, thus requiring supplementary effort to accomplish a successful root canal treatment. This study examined the frequency of the C-shaped mandibular second molars and interrelation between the clinical records and radiographs to recognize them treated in the Department of Conservative Dentistry of the Chosun University Dental Hospital during a six-year period (1998-2004). This study reviewed the clinical records of 227 patients who underwent root canal treatment of the mandibular second molars. After opening the chamber, those cases with C-shaped orifices in the pulpal floor were selected, ana the C-shaped root canal types were classified according to Melton's criteria. Three experienced dentists evaluated the radiographs of the C-shaped mandibular second molar on a viewer using a magnifying glass in order to determine if the root apex was fused or separated, the distal root canal was either centered or mesial shifted in the distal root, and if there was bilateral symmetry in a panorama. In conclusion, there is a high frequency of C-shaped mandibular second molars in Koreans. Simultaneous interpretation of the root shape and distal root canal using the preoperative, working length and post-treatment radiographs is important for diagnosing a C-shaped mandibular second molar.

• Proceedings of the KACD Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.563.2-563
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• 2001

C-shaped canal configuration is very difficult to treat because that clues about preoperative canal anatomy cannot be ascertained from clinical crown morphology and limited information can be derived from the radiographic examination. This study was done to get more informations about the root and canal configuration of C-shaped root by 3-dimentionally reconstructing for the purpose of enhancing success rate of endodontic treatment. 30 mandibular molars with C-shaped root were selected. Teeth had been extracted from periodontal problems with sound crown and root portion, including teeth with caries lesion limited crown portion only.(omitted)

• Proceedings of the KACD Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.554-554
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• 2001

C-shaped canal configuration is very difficult to treat because that clues about preoperative canal anatomy cannot be ascertained from clinical crown morphology and limited information can be derived from the radiographic examination. This study was done to get more informations about the root and canal configuration of C-shaped root by 3-dimentionally reconstructing for the purpose of enhancing success rate of endodontic treatment. 30 mandibular molars with C-shaped root were selected. Teeth had been extracted from periodontal problems with sound crown and root portion, including teeth with caries lesion limited crown portion only.(omitted)

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 1990

Forty extracted human mandibular second molars with C-shaped canal were chosen to study the anatomy of the root canal. The experimental teeth were injected with china ink, decalcified and cleared with Winter green oil, in vitro, to study the number of root, root canal, canal per root, frequency and location of lateral canal and transverse anastomosis. 1. All teedth had one root. 2. Mesial roots with two canals were 25%, and mesial roots with one canal were 75%. All distal roots had one canal. 3. In the roots with two canals, the common apical foramen appeared in 20% and the separte apical foramen appeared in 80%. 4. The frequence of lateral canal was 33.3% and the most frequent region was middle 1/3. 5. All teeth had the transverse anastomosis in all region of the roots.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.768-779
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• 1995

This study was performed to investigate the effect of root canal shaping techniques on the change of the shape of prepared root canal. 40 mesiobuccal canals of recently extracted mandibular 1st and 2nd molars were divided into 4 groups and shaped by step-down/balanced force technique, step-down/step-back technique, step-back technique and conventional technique respectively. The change of the shape of root canal was traced by superimposing the radiographs obtained before and after shaping of each root canal. The results were as follows. 1. By the experimented techniques except conventional technique, the root canals were more shaped in convex side of apical area and in concave side of most curved and coronal area than in the other sides(P<0.05). By conventional technique, the root canals were more shaped in convex side than in convave side from apex to orifice(P<0.05). 2. By step-down/balanced force technique, the cancave sides at C and D points of proximal view and C point of clinical view were more shaped than the convex side(P<0.05). Through the entire canal, the concave side was more shaped than the convex side in proximal view(P<0.01). But there was no statistical difference between both sides in clinical view. 3. By step-down/step-back technique, the change of root canal shape was not statistically different in concave and convex sides at each point of both views(P>0.05). And through the entire canal in proximal view, there was no statistical difference in shaping percentage between both sides. But through the entire canal in clinical view, the concave side was more shaped than the convex side(P<0.1). 4. By step-back technique, the convex side at B point of clinical more shaped than the other sides(P<0.05). Through the entire canal in proximal and clinical views, there was no statistical difference in shaping percentage between both sides. 5. Comparing the total shaping percentage among techniques, that in conventional technique was the greatest numerically, and followed by the percentages in step-down/step-back, step-down/balanced force and step-back technique. But, in proximal view, shaping percentages were not statistically different among techniques(P>0.05, ANOVA test). In clinical view, shaping percentages in step-back and conventional techniques were statistically different(P<0.01, ANOVA test). * Proximal view: radiograph taken in mesiodistal direction. * Clincal view: radiograph taken in faciolingual direction. A point : 1mm point from radiographic apex B point : center point between A and C points C point : most curved point of root canal D point : center point between C point and canal oriffice.