Prevalence of Cervical Enamel Projection and Its Impact on Furcation Involvement in Mandibular Molars: A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Study in Koreans

Abstract

This study evaluated the prevalence of cervical enamel projections (CEPs) in mandibular molars, and analyzed the correlation between CEPs and furcation involvement (FI) based on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data in a Korean population. CBCT images obtained from March 2012 to August 2012 were analyzed. CEPs and FI on the buccal and lingual surface were classified in three-dimensionally reconstructed images and cross-sectional views, and the correlation between these two parameters was analyzed. In total, 982 teeth in 425 patients were analyzed. The overall prevalence rate of CEPs was 76% (71% and 27% on the buccal and lingual surfaces, respectively). Grade I CEPs were the most common, followed by CEPs of grades II and III. There was a statistically significant, but negligible correlation between the CEP grade and the degree of FI on the buccal and lingual surfaces. Within the limitations of this cross-sectional study, a high prevalence of CEPs were found in a Korean population, but the role of CEPs in provoking FI appeared not to be decisive.