Taurodontism in maxillary and mandibular molars using cone beam computed tomography in a dental center in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Taurodontism is a dental anomaly characterized by altered crown root ratio that is often diagnosed by radiographic evaluation. A three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) can aid in the diagnosis and treatment of taurodontic teeth. Only one study has reported the prevalence of taurodontism in a Saudi population. OBJECTIVE: Determine prevalence and other characteristics of taurodontism in permanent maxillary and mandibular molars, by CBCT in a dental center in Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: College of dentistry. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The first and second molars, maxillary and mandibular, from study participants of Saudi origin from Jazan region of Saudi Arabia were evaluated for taurodontism based on the criteria of Shifman and Chanannel. The degree of taurodontism was determined by the taurodontism index. Results were tabulated for analysis and the chi-square test was applied for the differences between age groups, genders, and maxillary and mandibular teeth. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Characteristics of taurodontism. SAMPLE SIZE: 1839 teeth in 300 individuals. RESULTS: Taurodontism was seen in 24 (8%) of the study participants and in 71 teeth (3.9%). Taurodontism was significantly more prevalent in individuals between 21 and 40 years of age. Hypotaurodontism (67.6%, n=48) was most prevalent, followed by mesotaurodontism (23.9%, n=17) and hypertaurodontism (8.5%, n=6). The maxillary molars were more commonly involved than mandibular, but the results were not statistically significant. No significant differences in gender were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Dental clinicians should be familiar with the condition due to the clinical implications in oral surgery, endodontics and prosthodontics. The possibilities of a complex root canal system, an additional canal, difficulties in canal negotiation, instrumentation and subsequent obturation can be challenging for the clinician. LIMITATIONS: Conducted in a single dental center hence future studies with larger sample sizes in different regions of Saudi Arabia should be conducted to more accurately measure the prevalence. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: None.

Prevalence of Taurodontism in Contemporary and Historical Populations from Radom: A Biometric Analysis of Radiological Data

“…The severity of this anomaly did not significantly vary across contemporary or historical periods, consistent with other findings [ 18 , 21 ]. The gene responsible for taurodontism, linked to X chromosome aneuploidy, may contribute to differences in severity.…”

“…Both contemporary and historical populations, as described in this research, have consistently reported a higher prevalence of taurodontism in maxillary molars compared to their mandibular counterparts, a finding echoed by other scholars [ 4 , 8 , 11 , 18 , 21 ]. Interestingly, a study in the Turkish population suggested a greater prevalence of taurodontism in mandibular molars [ 19 ].…”

Study evaluating prevalence of Taurodonts in patients using Cone Beam Computed Tomography

“…Jabali AH et al found prevalence of taurodonts to be 0.1 % in Saudi Arabia. 18 These values are considerably low as compared to other studies. The reason can be attributed to differences in ethnicity, diagnostic criteria differences and differences in specific teeth.…”

Taurodontism in simultaneous existence with multiple supernumerary teeth: A case report

“…The diagnosis of taurodontism is usually a random finding, made through routine two-dimensional (2D) radiographic imaging such as periapical or orthopantomography, but these techniques may not be adequate to accurately classify the condition due to possible distortion, leading in turn to inaccurate measurements. 17 In our study, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging was considered to be appropriate for proper diagnosis and preparation for surgical extractions, to evaluate the proximity of the teeth to anatomical structures such as the inferior alveolar nerve, to evaluate the remaining lingual bone next to the lower right para-premolar and its proximity in the bucco-lingual dimensions to teeth No. 44 and 45.…”