Summary:
Purpose: To study the relationship of the mandibular canal to the posterior teeth in human mandibles
N= 22 mature human mandible
Materials/Methods:
•Access cavities and Size 10 to 20 K files were placed in the canals and cemented to the most apical position
•The mandibles were sectioned with a band saw through the root apices of the 1st and 2nd premolars and molars until the endodontic file(s) could be identified.
Most highlighted Results:
•2nd premolars (4.7mm) and 2nd molars (3.7mm) had the closest distances to the canal
•The mesial roots of the 1st molars were farthest from the canal (6.9 mm) •S-shaped curve of the canal was followed in 31% of the cases
•The canals were located lingual (19%), buccal (17%), or directly inferior (5%) to the apices of the posterior teeth.
•In 28% of the cases the canal could not be identified clearly in the 2nd premolars and 1st molar regions
Clinical significance:
The mandibular 2nd premolar and 2nd molar are the most likely teeth to be involved in accidental damage to the mandibular canal during root canal therapy
