This study determined the occurrence and location of the mental foramen (MF) and accessory mental foramen (AMF) in Turkish patients using cone-beam computed-tomography (CBCT) with 3D-imaging software. CBCT scans of 386 sites in 193 (92 male, 101 female) patients were retrospectively analyzed to determine MF and AMF occurrence, sizes, and locations. Digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) data were transferred to surface-rendering software to generate 3D images. Distances between the MF and AMF and from both foramina to the alveolar ridge and to the closest tooth were measured. Differences in AMF incidence by sex, side, and location were evaluated using chi-squared tests, and MF and AMF measurements were evaluated using Mann-Whitney U-tests. AMFs were observed in 6.5% of patients and were most commonly in an anteroinferior location. Mean AMF size did not differ significantly by sex or side [males: horizontal = 1.5 mm (1.0-2.4 mm), vertical = 1.4 mm (0.8-2.4 mm); females: horizontal = 1.5 mm (0.8-3 mm), vertical = 1.3 mm (0.8-2.1 mm); P > 0.05]. Males showed significantly greater mean vertical and horizontal MF dimensions compared with females [males: horizontal = 3.9 mm (1.0-7.0 mm), vertical = 3.6 mm (1.2-7.0 mm); females: horizontal = 3.5 mm (1.3-5.6 mm), vertical = 3.3 mm (0.8-5.8 mm); P < 0.05]. Awareness of the AMF is important to avoid mental nerve damage during surgical intervention and anesthetic applications. CBCT is useful for AMF detection, distributes less ionizing radiation, and allows 3D imaging.

The current study is the first of its kind to include a Turkish Cypriot population and, thus, provides baseline data for these patients regarding appropriate root canal treatments.

Objectives:Because of economic and political issues, Turkish Cypriots have been emigrating from Cyprus since the 1920s, especially to the United Kingdom, other European countries and Australia. Recently, according to the UK House of Commons, Home Affairs Committee, ~300,000 Cypriot Turks were living in the United Kingdom. However, this ethnic population residing in the United Kingdom has been insufficiently analysed. Although many Turkish Cypriots have been living abroad, little is known about the dental characteristics of this group. Premolar teeth, especially maxillary premolars, pose great challenges in endodontic treatment because of the number of roots and canals, and the variation in the configurations of the pulp cavity. Thus, it was considered valuable to determine the morphological characteristic of premolar teeth in a Turkish Cypriot population to aid clinicians in performing endodontic treatment in this ethnic population.Materials and Methods:The sample for this cross-sectional study consisted of a retrospective evaluation of cone-beam CT scans of 263 adult patients (age range 16–80 years). The number of roots and their morphology, the number of canals per root and the canal configuration were examined. The root canal configurations were also classified according to the scheme of Vertucci in the maxillary and mandibular premolar teeth. Pearson’s χ2-test was performed among canal configurations, sides and gender (P⩽0.05).Results:In the present study, most root canal configurations were type IV (76.8%) and type I (49.4%) in the maxillary first and second premolars, respectively, whereas most root canal configurations were type I (93%) in both mandibular first and second premolars. In total, four (0.9%) teeth in the maxillary first premolars and two (0.4%) teeth in the maxillary second molar premolars had three roots.Conclusions:This is the first population-based study to focus solely on Turkish Cypriots’ root canal anatomy. Our findings will be valuable for dental professionals who treat many Turkish Cypriot patients, in the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of periapical lesions in root canal-treated teeth in a Turkish Cypriote population and to investigate the influence of the quality of root canal fillings and coronal restorations on the prevalence of periapical lesions. Subjects and Methods: The sample for this cross-sectional study consisted of 1,006 adult patients seeking routine dental care. Patients who had received dental care in the last 2 years were excluded. Radiographs of 2,200 root canal-treated teeth were evaluated. The teeth were grouped according to the radiographic quality of the root canal filling and the coronal restoration. Periapical status was assessed using periapical index (PAI) scores. Results: Of the 2,200 root canal-treated teeth, 1,364 (62%) had apical periodontitis as compared with 1,364 (5.5%) of the total sample. Root-filled teeth classified as adequately treated had apical periodontitis in 223 (26.6%) cases compared with 1,192 (87.7%) in teeth classified as inadequately root filled. PAI 1 scores of adequate root canal treatment were significantly higher than in inadequate root canal treatment, regardless of the quality or presence of coronal restorations (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our findings showed a high prevalence of periapical pathology with or without endodontic treatment and poor technical standard of both root fillings and coronal restorations of root-treated teeth. Hence, we suggest the need for better education for dental health providers so that they can perform better root canal treatments and coronal restorations.

Aim To investigate the possible therapeutic effects of alpha‐lipoic acid (ALA) in a model of chronic apical periodontitis in rats by analysing biochemical, histopathological and micro‐CT parameters. Methodology The study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Near East University. Thirty‐two Wistar rats were divided into four groups of eight rats each: Control Group; ALA Group; AP Group; AP + ALA Group. In the AP and AP + ALA groups, the pulp chambers of the mandibular first molars were surgically exposed and were left open to the oral environment for 4‐weeks to allow the establishment of periapical lesions. The rats in the Control and AP groups were treated intraperitoneally with saline solution (with a daily dose of 100 mg kg−1, for 28 days after periapical lesion induction). The rats in the ALA and AP + ALA groups were treated intraperitoneally with ALA (with a daily dose of 100 mg kg−1, for 28 days after periapical lesion induction). After decapitation, the trunk blood was collected for the assessment of biochemical parameters. The mandibles were surgically removed and dissected for histopathologic analysis and further scanned with micro‐CT. Groups of data were compared with a two‐way analysis of variance (two‐way anova) followed by Sidak's multiple comparison tests. Values of P < 0.05 were regarded as significant. Results TNF‐α, IL‐1β, MMP‐1, MMP‐2 levels were significantly lower in AP + ALA group compared with AP group (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference between the AP and AP + ALA groups according to assessment of the inflammatory scores (P < 0.05). The periapical inflammatory infiltrates were significantly more severe (P < 0.05) in the AP group. The AP + ALA group exhibited lower values both in terms of surface area and volume of resorption cavities than the AP group and this difference was significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion alpha‐lipoic acid treatment provided therapeutic effects on the inhibition of periapical bone loss.