[Radiographic study of the canal anatomy of mandibular premolars in a Senegalese population]. / Etude radiographique de l'anatomie canalaire des premolaires mandibulaires dans une population Senegalaise.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess the canal anatomy of mandiblar premolars in Senegalese population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retroalveolar radiographs of mandibular premolars of 208 patients in Senegal were obtained. Two experienced practitioners using a long cone tube and the parallel plane technique with angulators took the radiographs. The canal morphology of each tooth was determined in terms of the number of canals radiologically visible to the apex. Any anatomic structure emanating from the pulp chamber or the principal canal to the apex and measuring more than 3 millimetres was considered to be a supplementary canal. RESULTS: For the 208 patients studied, 412 first premolars were present and 4 were absent.Among the 412 teeth, 335 (81.3%) had a single canal, 62 (15.1%) 2 canals, and 17 (3.6%) 3 canals. For the second premolars 408 were present. Of the 408 teeth, 352 (86%) had one canal, 49 (12%) 2 canals, and 8 (2%) 3 canals. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of two or more canals in premolar mandibular from Senegalese patients was similar to that found in the others ethnic population.