METHODS: A total of 133 mandibular first premolars with deep radicular grooves were scanned using micro-CT. After scanning, two examiners, blinded to micro-CT results, accessed and examined the root canal orifices of the study samples under DV, and DOM. Further evaluation of the root canal configurations was undertaken using exploration and 2D radiographic images. A second round of relocation of canals was undertaken if the radiographic view showed the presence of a missed canal. The data were then compared with the original reconstructed micro-CT images. Descriptive statistical analysis, Kappa and chi-square tests were performed to compare between methods and examiners, and the p-value was set at 0.05.
RESULTS: Except for three teeth, all samples exhibited multiple canals. Micro-CT data revealed a wide range of root canal configurations, with the most common being 1MFP1-2 (19.54%), followed by 1MFP1-2-3 (15.78%), 1MFP1-2-3-2 (5.26%), and both 1MFP1-2-4 and 1MFP1-2-1 configurations, each at 4.51%. For both examiners, using the DOM resulted in detection of more canal orifices compared to DV (p