doi:10.1111/iej.13199 REVIEW Application of a new system for classifying tooth, root and canal morphology in the primary dentition H. M. A. Ahmed1 , P. K. Musale2 , O. I. El Shahawy3 & P. M. H. Dummer4 1 Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 2“Little Ones Big Smiles” Laser and Microscope Integrated Paediatric Dentistry, Pune, India; 3Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; and 4School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK Abstract Ahmed HMA, Musale PK, El Shahawy OI, Dummer PMH. Application of a new system for classifying tooth, root and canal morphology in the primary dentition. International Endodontic Journal, 53, 27–35, 2020. Knowledge of root and canal morphology is essential for the effective practice of root canal treatment. Paediatric endodontics aims to preserve fully functional primary teeth in the dental arch; however, pulpectomy procedures in bizarre and tortuous canals encased in roots programmed for physiologic resorption are unique challenges. A new coding system for Introduction The morphology of roots and canal systems is variable and complex. During root canal treatment, a lack of knowledge on root and canal morphology is often associated with a failure to locate, instrument, irrigate and fill canals adequately (Vertucci 2005, Cantatore et al. 2006). Therefore, an understanding of root and canal morphology of the human dentition is essential for effective root canal treatment procedures (Vertucci 2005). Pulpectomy procedures in primary teeth aim to ensure normal physiologic exfoliation and eruption of Correspondence: Hany Mohamed Aly Ahmed, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (e-mail: [email protected]). © 2019 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd classifying the roots and main canals (https://doi.org/ 10.1111/iej.12685), accessory canals (https://doi. org/10.1111/iej.12800) and developmental anomalies (https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.12867) has been introduced recently. This paper discusses challenges for describing root and canal morphology in primary teeth and describes the potential application of the new classification system for root canals in the primary dentition. Keywords: canal morphology, deciduous teeth, new classification, primary teeth. Received 29 May 2019; accepted 5 August 2019 the successor tooth or their long-term survival when their retention is required. Root and canal morphology in the primary dentition has a wide range of anatomical variations and is unpredictable (Ahmed 2013, Ozcan et al. 2016a, Reddy et al. 2018, Neboda et al. 2018, El Hachem et al. 2019). As a consequence, the bizarre and tortuous canals encased in roots programmed for physiologic resorption are a unique challenge for dentists (Dummett & Kopel 2002, Waterhouse et al. 2011, Ahmed 2013, 2014). With an increasing range of anatomical complexities being reported and the deficiencies of the existing systems for categorizing canal systems becoming more apparent, a new system for classifying root and canal morphology has been proposed, which provides detailed information on tooth notation, number of roots and root canal configuration in addition to accessory canals and tooth anomalies (Ahmed et al. International Endodontic Journal, 53, 27–35, 2020 27 Classification of canal anatomy in primary teeth Ahmed et al. 2017, 2018, Ahmed & Dummer 2018a,b). The present article discusses the various challenges when describing root and canal morphology in primary teeth and the application of the new system to classify root and canal morphology in the primary dentition. Review Challenges for describing root canal morphology in the primary dentition Anatomical variations Root canal configurations. There are wide range of anatomical variations in the primary dentition, especially molars. Root canal configurations change dynamically with increasing age, especially in mandibular molars, because of the deposition of dentine islands that influence the number, size and shape of canals within primary roots (Camp 2008). In addition, physiologic root resorption changes the morphology of the root apex leading to difficulty in working length determination (Camp 2008). Incisors and canines—Primary anteriors are usually single-rooted with a single root canal (Cleghorn et al. 2010, Waterhouse et al. 2011). However, several reports have documented the occurrence of accessory roots and root canals in primary anterior teeth (Barker et al. 1975, Cleghorn et al. 2010, Musale & Hegde 2010, Ahmed 2013, Ahmed & Hashem 2016), especially double-rooted primary maxillary canines (Mochizuki et al. 2001). Musale & Hegde (2010) documented the successful endodontic management of a unilateral three-rooted primary maxillary canine. Figure 1 Different tooth numbering systems using the new classification system for root and canal morphology (Upper – FDI, Middle – Palmer, Lower – Universal). 28 International Endodontic Journal, 53, 27–35, 2020 Maxillary molars—Primary maxillary molars may have two to four roots, with the three-rooted variant being the most common (Cleghorn et al. 2010, Ahmed 2013). The double-rooted variant, in which the distobuccal root is fused with the palatal root, is also common (Cleghorn et al. 2010, Ahmed 2013). The prevalence of a second mesiobuccal root canal can be as high as 95% (Sarkar & Rao 2002, Waterhouse et al. 2011). Three mesiobuccal canals have been documented (Ahmed et al. 2016), and other complex root canal configurations have been reported in the distobuccal and palatal roots (Cleghorn et al. 2010, Ahmed 2013). Mandibular molars—Primary mandibular molars can have one to four roots; the double-rooted variant is the most common (Cleghorn et al. 2010, Ahmed 2013, Yang et al. 2013, Fumes et al. 2014). Accessory roots in primary mandibular molars, especially in second molars, have been reported in a number of population groups (Song et al. 2009, Liu et al. 2010, Tu et al. 2010, Yang et al. 2013). The mesial roots of primary mandibular molars usually have two root canals (Bagherian et al. 2010) but three canals have also been reported (Sarkar & Rao 2002). The distal root in mandibular primary molars usually has one or two canals (Ahmed 2013), but three separate canals in the distal root have been reported in extracted mandibular primary second molars when evaluated using CBCT (Demiriz et al. 2018). Accessory canals. Accessory canals are common in the primary dentition, especially in the furcation area (Wrbas et al. 1997, Dammaschke et al. 2004, Figure 2 Degree/stage of root resorption is not considered in the new system. Notably, palatal root resorption (the hidden third bucco-palatal dimension) usually is at a more advanced stage compared to apical since the eruption of the permanent successors of primary incisors is from a palatal direction. © 2019 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Ahmed et al. Classification of canal anatomy in primary teeth Figure 3 Drawings showing that physiologic root resorption may change the root canal configuration of a given root, which could be evident during the physiologic root resorption of a root canal filled primary molar. Figure 6 Drawings showing different canal configurations in maxillary primary molars. (a) (b) (c) (d) Figure 4 Drawings showing different canal configurations in mandibular primary incisors. Figure 7 Clinical cases of primary anterior teeth using the new classification system. (a,b), Maxillary anteriors (Courtesy Dr. Mohamed Salah Shalaby), (c) Mandibular primary incisor (Courtesy Dr. Abhishek Soni), (d) Three-rooted maxillary canine (Reproduced with permission from Quintessence - Musale & Hegde 2010). Berscheid 2015, Sharma et al. 2016). One micro-CT study reported that approx. 83% of extracted primary molars had a least one accessory canal in the furcation area (chamber/furcation canals) (Berscheid 2015), whilst another reported that all mesial and distal roots of primary second mandibular molars had lateral canals (El Hachem et al. 2019). It is worth noting that only a small number of those canals are patent, and the majority usually terminate within the root dentine (Berscheid 2015, Sharma et al. 2016). Figure 5 Drawings showing different canal configurations in mandibular primary molars. © 2019 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Tooth anomalies. The occurrence of root and canal anomalies in the primary dentition has been International Endodontic Journal, 53, 27–35, 2020 29 Classification of canal anatomy in primary teeth Ahmed et al. (a) continuous formation of secondary dentine, modifies the root canal system over time (Rimondini & Baroni 1995, Waterhouse et al. 2011). In addition, pulp and/or periodontal inflammation may cause pathological changes in the resorption process and further complicate root and canal morphology (Rimondini & Baroni 1995). As a consequence, root and canal anatomy in resorbed roots is unpredictable since the resorptive process along the root surface is uneven and is subject to continuous morphological changes (Rimondini & Baroni 1995, Waterhouse et al. 2011). Moreover, the roots are also subject to internal resorption that can further modify the root canals (Rimondini & Baroni 1995, Waterhouse et al. 2011, Ahmed 2014). (b) (c) (d) Application of the new root and canal classification system in the primary dentition Figure 8 Clinical cases of primary mandibular molar teeth using the new classification system. documented with Radix Entomolaris, taurodontism, root fusion, dens evaginatus, dens invaginatus, enamel pearls being reported (Kupietzky & Rozenfarb 1993, Eden et al. 2002, Levitan & Himel 2006, Jafarzadeh et al. 2008, Song et al. 2009, Cleghorn et al. 2010, King et al. 2010, Venugopal et al. 2010, Nagaveni & Umashankara 2012, Ahmed 2013) and Cshaped canals in mandibular molars (Ballal et al. 2006, Ozcan et al. 2016b). Fusion between primary molars and supernumerary primary teeth has also been documented (Caceda et al. 1994, Wang et al. 2013, Mukhopadhyay & Mitra 2014). Physiologic root resorption Physiologic root resorption, which starts soon after the complete formation of the root and the (a) (b) Root and canal morphology The classification system of Ahmed et al. (2017) includes codes for three separate components: the tooth number, the number of roots and the root canal configuration within each root. The tooth number (TN) can be written using any numbering system (e.g. universal numbering system, Palmer Notation Numbering System or the FDI World Dental Federation System; Fig. 1) or with a suitable abbreviation if the tooth number cannot be identified (e.g. extracted teeth). The number of roots is added as a superscript before the tooth number (TN), and the root canal configuration is added as a superscript on the right after the tooth number (Ahmed et al. 2017) (Fig. 1). For simplicity, the presence/extent of physiologic root resorption is not considered in the new system (Fig. 2). However, if the root canal configuration has been altered as a consequence of physiologic root resorption of a root canal filled tooth, then the code for root canal configuration has to be changed accordingly (Fig. 3). (c) Figure 9 Clinical cases of primary maxillary molar teeth using the new classification system. 30 International Endodontic Journal, 53, 27–35, 2020 © 2019 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Ahmed et al. Classification of canal anatomy in primary teeth (a) (c) (b) (d) (e) Figure 10 CBCT images showing the anatomy of the tooth, root and canals and its description using the new system. (a) Sagittal section, (b) Coronal section, (c) Axial section (coronal), (d) Axial section (middle), (e) Axial section (apical). A B C D Figure 12 Details of the code describing the root and canal morphology in a primary molar. A: Tooth number and number of roots. B: Accessory (furcation) canal(s). C: Description of the mesial root and canal configuration. D: Details of the distal root and canal configuration. Figure 11 Drawings showing the application of the new system for classifying accessory canals in the primary dentition (A: Apical third, C: Coronal third, D: Delta). © 2019 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd It is clear that root and canal morphology in the primary dentition is variable and complex. The new classification system is more accurate and simpler compared with the Vertucci system (and its supplementary configurations) that was developed to categorize canal systems in permanent teeth. The Vertucci system uses Roman numerals for each ‘type’ International Endodontic Journal, 53, 27–35, 2020 31 Classification of canal anatomy in primary teeth Ahmed et al. chamber that merge apically – coded as 1722-1. Figure 5a shows a double-rooted mandibular right primary molar coded as 284 M2 D1; the mesial (M) and distal (D) roots have 2 and 1 canal(s), respectively. Figure 6a shows a three-rooted maxillary left primary second molar coded as 365 MB1 DB1 P1 having three roots in which each of the mesiobuccal (MB), distobuccal (DB) and palatal (P) roots have one canal. Other examples are shown in Figs 4–6 in addition to clinical cases in Figs 7–10. Figure 13 Despite potential confusion between accessory canals and resorption defects, the close approximation of the permanent successor and loss of integrity of the root outline indicate the presence of resorption defects. Figure 14 A three-rooted mandibular tooth 74 (M, D, DL) – Radix Entomolaris type 2 (type II: curvature in the coronal third and straight continuation to the apex). of root canal configuration (Vertucci et al. 1974, Gulabivala et al. 2001, 2002, Ng et al. 2001, Sert & Bayirli 2004). However, it does not take into consideration the number of roots in several tooth types (such as anterior teeth). In addition, it was not intended for the primary dentition (Vertucci 1984). The description of tooth anatomy in the primary dentition using the Ahmed et al. (2017) system follows the same format as for permanent teeth. Figure 1 shows a single-rooted maxillary right primary central incisor coded as 1511 with a single canal. Figure 4a shows a single-rooted mandibular left primary lateral incisor with two canals leaving the pulp 32 International Endodontic Journal, 53, 27–35, 2020 Accessory canals Accessory canals in primary molars can be classified using an existing system (Ahmed et al. 2018). The length of the root is divided into thirds: the coronal third (C), which starts from an imaginary line from the most apical portion of the pulp chamber, middle third (M) and apical third (A) ending at the canal terminus (Fig. 11). Each third is identified as a superscript within parenthesis after the tooth number. For accessory canals leaving the floor of the pulp chamber, the superscript is written before the root notation. The configuration of these accessory canals can be described as for the main root canal configuration. An apical delta is identified by the letter ‘D’ (Fig. 11). In some instances, the accessory/chamber canal may not end in a foramen or be looped (Fig. 11). 1511(A1) describes a single-rooted maxillary right primary central incisor having a single root canal, and a single accessory canal located in the apical third of the root (Fig. 11a). 1511(D) describes a single-rooted maxillary right primary central incisor having a single root canal and an apical delta (Fig. 11c). 274 M1(A1) D1 describes a double-rooted tooth 74 in which the mesial root has a single root canal and single accessory canal in the apical third of the root; the distal root has one single canal (Fig. 11d). 274 (1)M1 D1 describes a double-rooted tooth 74 with the same canal morphology but with a single furcation canal (Fig. 11e). 274 (1-0)M1 D1 describes the same tooth with a furcation canal configuration 1-0 (nonpatent) (Fig. 11f). Figure 12 shows a detailed description of a mandibular molar with two furcation canals. The description of accessory canals using the new system in the permanent dentition is clear and can be applied in clinical and experimental settings. However, in the primary dentition, especially when clinically the permanent successor is close to the roots of primary teeth, the differentiation of accessory canals (small canals leaving the root canal that (usually) communicate with the external surface of the root or © 2019 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd Ahmed et al. Classification of canal anatomy in primary teeth (a) (b) (c) (e) (f) (g) (h) (d) (i) Figure 15 Application of the new system to classify primary teeth with fused roots – a sample using micro-CT imaging – Root fusion types 3 – DB fused to P (Reproduced with permission from Wiley - Ahmed et al. 2016). furcation) from early physiologic resorption defects is challenging given that both may overlap and appear with similar patterns on 2D radiographic images after root canal filling with a resorbable paste (Fig. 13). Therefore, the classification of accessory canals in a clinical setting is advisable only when the primary tooth is not about to exfoliate or if there are no signs of extensive root resorption. The application of the system in experimental settings will be more accurate since the investigator can differentiate accessory canals from resorption areas if present. Tooth anomalies Similar to the permanent dentition, the abbreviation of an anomaly (A) is added between brackets before the tooth number (TN) that is (A)TN (Ahmed & Dummer 2018a,b). For instance, (DE)1 511 describes a dens evaginatus (DE) in a single-rooted maxillary right primary central incisor tooth with a single © 2019 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd canal. (DIIII)1511 describes a single-rooted tooth 51 with a Dens Invaginatus type III and single canal. (RE1)374 M1 D1 DL1 describes a three-rooted tooth 74 [mesial (M), distal (D) and distolingual (DL) – Radix Entomolaris type 1 (RE)]; each root has a single root canal (Fig. 14).1 ST1/1511 describes a singlerooted tooth 51 fused to a single-rooted Supernumerary Tooth (ST) – both with single canals. If the anomaly is related to one or more roots in double- or multirooted teeth, respectively, then the anomaly should be written after the abbreviation of the affected root. Thus, 275 M1 D1(EP) describes a double-rooted tooth 75 having an enamel pearl (EP) related to the D root – both mesial and distal roots having a single canal. Root fusion (RF) in threerooted teeth is an exception in which all types should be written before the tooth number (TN). (RF3)365 MB3 DB2-1-2 P2-1 describes a three-rooted tooth 65 having fused DB (canal configuration 2-1-2) International Endodontic Journal, 53, 27–35, 2020 33 Classification of canal anatomy in primary teeth Ahmed et al. [Root fusion (RF) type 3 (Ahmed & Dummer 2018a, b)] and P (canal configuration 2-1) roots whilst the MB (canal configuration 3) is not fused (Ahmed & Dummer 2018a,b) (Fig. 15). Conclusions • • • The morphology of root canals, accessory canals and tooth anomalies in the primary dentition can be classified using the system of Ahmed et al. (2017), 2018 and Ahmed & Dummer 2018b, in a similar way to the permanent dentition. 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