Which Tooth Most Frequently Requires Endodontic Treatment?

A survey of 8 years and 3350 consecutive endodontic patients (1958 men and 1392 women) was conducted to determine the frequency of endodontic treatment for each tooth. At the time of the initial exam, 3672 teeth required root canal treatment. The back teeth were treated more frequently, accounting for 80.1% of the total, and the molars required 52.6% of the necessary endodontic treatment. The first mandibular molar was treated most often, 18.8% of the time, followed by the first maxillary molar (13.5%) and the second mandibular molar (12.0%).

The number of maxillary and mandibular teeth treated endodontically was similar, with 50.8% and 49.2%, respectively. The goal of endodontic treatment is to prevent or treat apical periodontitis by maintaining an aseptic endodontic system or disinfecting it when it is previously infected. This could be applied in cases where the initiation of endodontic treatment is urgent; however, doubts arise regarding the ability to achieve adequate isolation. Considering that high-quality evidence in this field is still limited, future controlled studies that compare the effect of available methods on the outcomes of endodontic treatment would be strongly recommended.

This will help professionals determine which steps of the endodontic procedure require greater diligence, in order to substantially improve the quality of their work and ensure a better long-term viability of the treatment. Teeth that require endodontic intervention are often structurally compromised due to conditions such as tooth decay, trauma, or root resorption. After evaluating restorability, it is crucial that the definitive restoration of the tooth be decided at this early stage, as this could also influence the selection of the preendodontic restoration technique. It is clear from this survey that the first mandibular molar is most frequently in need of endodontic treatment, followed by the first maxillary molar and second mandibular molar.

To ensure successful outcomes for these treatments, it is important to consider all available methods for preendodontic restoration and to select one that will provide adequate isolation while minimizing perioperative bleeding.