Root form and canal anatomy of maxillary first premolars: a cone-beam computed tomography study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the root and canal morphology of permanent maxillary first premolars in a Polish population using cone-beam computed tomography scanning (CBCT) and to compare the classifications by Vertucci and Ahmed et al. Images of 350 maxillary first premolars were analyzed. Scans were obtained from 226 patients: 131 women and 95 men. The root canal configurations were classified according to Vertucci and a new system by Ahmed et al. In addition, the number of roots and the level where roots bifurcated were identified. The results were submitted to statistical analysis. Most maxillary first premolars had two roots (69.1%). Most bifurcations were located in the coronal part of the root (44.2%) and the least in the apical part (15.3%). Bifurcation in the coronal part of the root was observed more often in the teeth of men than women. In turn, bifurcation in the central or apical part was significantly more common in women than in men. The most common canal configuration of the maxillary first premolars was type IV (78.2%) according to Vertucci and (2)FPB(1)P(1) (65.4%) according to the new classification. Among the remaining cases, almost all types of canals described by Vertucci, and many combinations of codes given in the new classification were demonstrated. The maxillary first premolars displayed a wide range of root and canal anatomical variations. The new system for classifying canal morphology based on Ahmed et al. is more accurate than the Vertucci classification.