ORCID
- Casper Jonker: 0000-0002-9110-5208
- Federico Foschi: 0000-0001-6901-0280
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Root canal procedures on multi-rooted teeth, including first molars, depend on experience, tactile perception, and anatomical knowledge to avoid perforation in the furcation region. Studies using various methodologies and populations have reported discrepant findings on pulpal floor thickness. No study using micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT), the gold standard, has been conducted on a Black South African sample to evaluate pulpal floor thickness. Methods: In this cross-sectional, descriptive,quantitative study, Micro-CT scans of 91 maxillary and 77 mandibular first molars were reconstructed in 3D and oriented according to a reference plane along the cemento-enamel junction using Avizo software. Measurements were taken from the midpoint of the pulpal chamber floor to the perpendicular point on the furcation. In maxillary molars, an additional measurement between the mesiobuccal and distobuccal roots was taken. The effects of arch, side, age, and sex were assessed. Results: Neither sex, arch, nor side had a significant influence on the pulpal floor thickness. The central mandibular and maxillary pulpal floor thicknesses increased significantly with aging, while the effect on the buccalmaxillary pulpal floor thickness was not significant. The mean central mandibular and maxillary pulpal floor thicknesses were 2.66 and 2.83 mm, respectively, while the buccal maxillary pulpal floor thickness was significantly smaller at 2.37 mm. Conclusions: More accurate and repeatable findings compared to the literature could be attributed to the use of Micro-CT, which provides higher resolution images, and to Avizo, which enables precise localization of 3D points. Variations from the literature might also be explained by differences in the age and geographical origin of the samples.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2026-03-11
Publication Title
Oral
Volume
6
Issue
33
Acceptance Date
2026-02-26
Deposit Date
2026-03-12
Funding
This study was supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) under the Research Development Grants for New Generation of Academics Program (nGAP) [Grant No: NGAP240205203589] and co-funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the Staffing South African Universities Framework (SSAUF) and nGAP.
Keywords
dentine thickness, mandibular first molar, maxillary first molar, root furcation
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
First Page
1
Last Page
16
Recommended Citation
Meyer, M., Jonker, C., Singh, S., Foschi, F., & Oettlé, A. (2026) 'Pulpal Chamber Floor Thickness of First Molars in a Black South African Sample', Oral, 6(33), pp. 1-16. Available at: 10.3390/oral6020033
