The root canal system of canines among Taiwan population

Objectives: The aim of this investigation was to study the root canal system of maxillary and mandibular canines. Material and Methods: 50 upper and 50 lower canines were collected for this study. After cleaning the teeth with scaling machine, measure the teeth length, crown size and direction of the root curvature and calculate the number of apical foramen. Access cavity prepared with #2 carbide round bur and check root canal pathway with #10 K-file. Soak the teeth into 5.25% NaOCl to dissolve the pulp tissue and decalcified the teeth with nitric acid. After decalcified completed, soak the teeth in 75%, 95%, 99.5% alcohol to dehydrate the teeth. Soak the teeth into winter green oil to make the teeth transparent, and inject India ink into canals and observed the canal system of the canines. Results: The result revealed that average teeth length of upper canines was 25.4mm and lower canines was 24.4mm. Crown length was 9.62 of upper canine 9.92mm of lower canine. 44% of the upper canines were distal curved, 12% were distolingual curved and 6% were mesial curved. 28% of lower canines were distal curved and 8% were mesial curved. Average number of apical foramen was 1.19 of upper canine and 1.24 of lower canine. 98% of the upper canines were one canal one foramen (Type I) and 2% were one-two-one canal (Type II). 84% of the lower canines were 1 canal 1 apical foramen (Type I), 12% were one-two-one canal (Type II), 2% were two canals with one apical foramen (Type III) and 2% were reticular canal (Type VIII). Conclusions: We conclude that 98% of upper canines among Taiwan population were Type I canal system and 2% were Type II canal system. 84% of lower canines among Taiwan population were Type I canal system and 16% of lower canines had more complex root canal system.