LAUSR

OBJECTIVE This study assesses the prevalence and characteristics of dens invaginatus(DI) in a sample of Chinese population by using cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT) images. METHODOLOGY A retrospective study was conducted by using the CBCT images of 1004 patients. The whole dentition was evaluated for the presence and characteristics of DI. Periapical pathosis status and bilateral feature of affected teeth were also examined. RESULTS Dens invaginatus was observed in 85 of 1004 subjects, with a prevalence of 8.47% and a tooth prevalence of 0.494%. Males presented a higher prevalence of DI than females (p=0.011). Type I DI was the most commonly observed type of dens invaginatus, followed by type II and type III. The structure form of different types of DI was various. Overall 2.48% of the patients with type I DI, 5.88% of the patients with type II DI, 100% of the patients with type III DI had apical pathosis. Bilateral DI was found in 63.53% of the affected patients. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that DI was not rare, clinicians should be aware of its existence. CBCT examination can provide an accurate representation of dental anatomy and should be incorporated into early diagnosis and treatment planning for teeth with DI.