Abstract
BACKGROUND: The study aimed to investigate the furcation groove's (FG) prevalence, depth, length and associated dentin thickness (DT) in Maxillary First Permanent Premolars (MFPM's) in Saudi Sub-population. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional study, conducted at Qassim University, KSA, on 156 CBCT images. The presence of FG, its length, depth, and associated DT at the deepest point were recorded. Measurements were performed independently by two calibrated examiners. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26, with chi-square tests applied to assess gender- and quadrant-wise differences. The significance level for this study was set to be p < 0.05. RESULTS: Among the studied MFPMs, 71% exhibited FGs on the palatal facet of the buccal root. The mean FG length was 4.16 mm, mean FG depth was 0.56 mm, and mean DT at the deepest point was 0.82 mm. No significant differences were found in FG prevalence based on gender or quadrant. Most grooves were located at the furcation level (75.8%), while the remaining were found below (16.7%) or before (7.5%) the furcation. Correlation analysis revealed a weak negative association between groove depth and dentin thickness (ρ = -0.180, p = 0.049). Multivariable ordinal regression identified male gender as the primary predictor of higher dentin thickness risk categories (OR = 5.12, p < 0.001), while groove morphometric parameters were not significant predictors. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of FG in MFPMs and its significant association with reduced DT highlight its clinical importance. These anatomical features increase the risk of complications during endodontic treatment (ET), including strip perforations and vertical root fractures. In order to identify at-risk areas, preoperative CBCT evaluation is essential as this allows for modified treatment strategies to preserve root integrity and improve ET outcomes.