RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOLAR ROOT FUSION AND LOCALIZED PERIODONTITIS

WE INVESTIGATED THE RELATIONSHIP between molar root fusion and localiz ed periodontitis in this study. A total of 143 individuals (1,109 mola rs) aged 23 to 68 years were examined for the presence of molar root f usion at diseased and healthy sites. Molar root fusions were diagnosed by periapical radiographs and clinical probing. Periodontal parameter s measured included probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) , gingival index (GI), and plaque index (PLI) around fused molars. Res ults indicated that the prevalence of molar root fusions in males and females was 15.2% (93/612) and 32.2% (160/497), respectively. The dist ribution of molars with root fusions occurs in the following order: ma xillary second molars (51.8%), mandibular second molars (32.3%), maxil lary first molars (5.7%), and mandibular first molars (0%). Statistica lly significant differences were observed between molar root fusions a t healthy and diseased sites with respect to PLI, GI, PD, and CAL. The highest prevalence of molar root fusion was observed in females.