Investigations on the Root Canal Numbers of Molars

The aim of this study was to investigate the quantity of root canals of 223 extracted molars with different radiographic, optic and microscopic methods. Compared with the microscopical observation of horizontal cross sections of the roots the computer tomography was a certain method. Using the microscopic method a fourth root canal was found for the first maxillary molars (50,8 %), the second maxillary molars (41,6 %) and the first mandibular molars (15,9 %). The results confirm the variation of root canal configurations of permanent molars.