[Study in SEM of the number and size of the main and accessory foramens of the first lower premolars].

Abstract

The authors in this study have been used the apexes, 4 mm in length, from 93 first lower premolars, from patients over 45 years old. All specimens were prepared for SEM visualization. It was found that in 84.95% of them there was present at least one accessory foramen. All accessory foramens has a diameter less than 100 microns, with a mean value 52 microns. Also in a 74.19% of the 93 teeth, there was present a second main foramen. These foramens had a diameter more than 100 microns, with a mean value 368 microns. Finally it was found that when an extra main foramen was present, the mean value of the diameter remained the same and not smaller than that of the teeth with one main foramen. This may be of a significant clinical value, because this means that the pulp takes extra volumes of blood from these extra foramens.