(PR087) Comparison of Clinical Outcome of Endodontic Treatment of Mandibular Molars with Weine Type 2 and Type 3 Mesial Root Canal Configurations

Objective: Weine type 2 and type 3 canal configurations differ in the continuity and extent of the isthmus, with type 3 having a more pronounced apical isthmus. The effect of these anatomical variations on nonsurgical endodontic treatment outcomes is not well understood. This study aimed to assess the success of endodontic treatment in mandibular molars with Weine type 2 and type 3 canal configurations.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 106 cases of mandibular molar endodontic treatments from a private endodontic practice were analyzed. Preoperative CBCT imaging was used to classify mesial root canal configurations. Treatment outcomes were assessed based on clinical and radiographic evaluations, with a minimum follow-up period of 1 year. Outcomes were categorized as healed, healing, or non-healing, and dichotomized for comparison using a chi-squared test.

Results: Of the 106 cases, 50% (n=53) were classified as healed, 33% (n=35) as healing, and 17% (n=18) as non-healing. In the Weine type 2 group, 87% (n=47) were healed/healing, while 13%( n=7) were non-healing. In the Weine type 3 group, 79% (n=41) were healed/healing, and 21% (n=11) were non-healing. Although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.26), a trend toward higher success rates was observed in type 2 configurations compared to type 3. When comparing the outcome of initial root canal treatments (n=58) versus non-surgical retreatment (n=48), the differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05).

Conclusions: These findings suggest that root canal morphology may influence the prognosis of endodontic treatment. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these results and investigate factors contributing to the healing differences between root configurations.