Prevalence and radiological characteristics of palatogingival groove: A retrospective cone-beam computed tomography study in an Indian cohort

Abstract

Aim: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of palatogingival groove (PG) in anterior maxillary teeth in an Indian cohort using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. Study Design: Retrospective study. Materials and Methods: Analysis of 119 CBCT scans (64 males, 55 females, and mean age 31.6 ± 13.5 years) was performed. The data of 636 anterior maxillary teeth (220 canine, 212 lateral incisor, and 204 central incisor teeth) were studied for PG's presence. Demographic details of patients and characteristics of PG, i.e., location, extension, depth, and type were recorded. Results: Out of the 636 anterior maxillary teeth studied, PGs were detected in 12 (1.88%) teeth (3 [1.47%] central incisors, 9 [4.2%] lateral incisors, and 0 canines). All the teeth were categorized as having either type I (Seven teeth) or type II (Five teeth) radicular groove. Two of the 12 PGs were present in the mesial, six in the mid-palatal, and four were present in the distal portion of the palatal surface of the teeth. Conclusions: The prevalence of PG in maxillary incisors in this Indian cohort is 2.88%. Maxillary lateral incisors are the most affected teeth.

Nomogram to Predict Radicular Grooves in Maxillary Lateral Incisors in Preoperative Orthodontic Population

“…When diagnosing RG using CBCT, we followed the existing literature to locate the CEJ accurately [5,23]. This allowed us to identify the TSN.…”

“…CEJ Level Identi cation: Using the mouse scroll in the axial view (blue), watch the sagittal plane (green) until the moving axial line intersects the end of the enamel line's palatal side. Mark this point on the axial plane as the CEJ level of the MLI's palatal aspect [5,23]. 4.…”

“…Radicular grooves (RG) on maxillary lateral incisors (MLIs) are developmental anomalies that often manifest along the palatal root surface, originating from the central fossa and potentially extending apically [1][2][3]. These anomalies present clinically signi cant challenges due to their morphological diversity, contributing to variations in terminologyincluding terms such as coronal-radicular grooves, palatal gingival grooves, and Interruption Grooves [4][5][6]. The prevalence of RG in MLIs is reportedly variable, ranging from 4.5-60%, in uenced by factors such as ethnicity, demographic particulars, and the diagnostic approaches utilized [6][7][8][9].…”

“…The array of RG classi cation systems, from Gu's taxonomy [4] to Turner's alphabetic schema [6], demonstrates the variances in depth and complexity of RG and underscores their detection challenges-whether through depth measurement or advanced imaging like CBCT [1][2][3][4][5]. These classi cations emphasize RG's intricacy and its indication of broader dental irregularities.…”

“…Literature, including case reports, has illuminated RG's role in endodontic-periodontal issues [7-9, 19, 20] and during intentional replantation processes [11]. While CBCT signi cantly enhances root anatomy analysis [5,21], its routine application is curtailed by radiation exposure concerns.…”