Bispo, B. F. M.; Lima, F. J. C.; Oliveira-Neto, O. B.; Monte-Bispo, R. F.; Inojosa, I. F. J. A.; Olave, E. & Sousa-Rodrigues, C. F.

The aim of the present study was to determine the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the clinical and radiographic examination (CRE) method compared to the examination with the dental operating microscope (DOM) on the detection of anatomical features of mesiobuccal canals in maxillary first molars. One hundred maxillary first molars were selected to assess the number of canals orifice entrances, accessibility, and ending of their mesiobuccal canals using the CRE method and the examination with the DOM. The diagnostic tests of the CRE exhibited, in general, high levels of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. However, low levels of these outcomes occurred, mainly, on the detection of the number of canals entrance orifices of the mesiobuccal root. The statistically significant differences (p<0.05) occurred for accessibility and ending of canals in 61 of the 62 cases (out of 100) when two of them were present: 2 accessible root canals (48 cases; 77.42 %), and 1 accessible and 1 inaccessible canals (13 cases; 20.97 %); 1 foramen after fusion (18 cases; 29.03 %), 2 foramens (30 cases; 48.39 %), and 1 foramen and 1 blind foramen (13 cases; 20.97 %). This study proves that the clinical and radiographic method (still the most commonly used worldwide) can’t be trusted absolutely in situations of complex internal anatomy regarding the mesiobuccal root canals of maxillary first molars.

KEY WORDS: Anatomy; Maxilla; First molar; Mesiobuccal canals; Radiology; Dental Operation Microscope.

BISPO, B. F. M.; LIMA, F. J. C.; OLIVEIRA-NETO, O. B.; MONTE-BISPO, R. F.; INOJOSA, I. F. J. A.; OLAVE, E. & SOUSA- RODRIGUES, C. F. Clinical and radiographic examination compared to microscopic examination in the detection of anatomical features of mesiobuccal canals in maxillary first molars: a diagnostic study. Int. J. Morphol., 38(6):1571-1576, 2020.