The prevalence of pulp stones in a Turkish population. A radiographic survey

OBJECTIVES The goal of this retrospective study was to determine the prevalence of pulp stones in a Turkish population. Any possible associations between pulp stones and gender, tooth type and dental arch were also evaluated. STUDY DESIGN Four hundred and sixty nine patients' bitewing radiographs which were reached through the patient database of Erciyes University Dentistry School, Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology were examined. Of these 469 subjects whose mean age was 24( ± 10.7), 302 were females and 167 were males. A total of 6,926 teeth were examined during this study. Pulp stones were recorded as present or absent and any relations with gender, tooth type and dental arch were noted. RESULTS Pulp stones were identified in 270 (57.6 %) of the subjects and in 1,038 (15 %) of the teeth examined. Their presence were seldom found in the premolars (9.07%) but was much higher in the molars (90.92 %). Pulp stone occurrence was significantly more common in the first molars than in the second molars, and in the first premolars than in the second premolars in each dental arch. Their occurrence was higher in the maxilla than in the mandible for each tooth type. No difference between the two genders could be identified. CONCLUSION Pulp stones are not only incidental radiographic findings of the pulp tissue but may also be an indicator of some serious underlying disease. On the other hand, they may provide useful information to predict about the susceptibility of patients for other dystrophic soft tissue calcifications such as urinary calculi and calcified atheromas. However, further study on this issue is needed.