Furcation canals in the human mandibular first molar

The presence of lateral canals from the floor of the pulp chamber to the furcation region has been demonstrated radiographically after obliteration of the root canal. Furthermore, pulpal inflammation can cause areas of rarefaction in the interradicular bone which normally resolve after routine endodontic procedures. These occurrences seem to indicate that there are direct avenues of communication between the pulp and periodontal tissues. In order to investigate this further, 100 human mandibular first molars were used in an in vitro study to determine the incidence of lateral canals in the furcation region.