Determination of the internal anatomy of a permanent dentition: A review

The human dental pulp takes on numerous configurations and shapes. The primary requirements for the successful treatment outcome are a thorough knowledge of the tooth morphology, careful interpretation of radiographs, proper access preparation and a detailed exploration of the interior of the tooth. Various aids like magnification and illumination must be utilized to achieve this goal. The following article is an attempt to describe and illustrate the various methods, which are used to determine the internal anatomy of the teeth. It is essential to understand the complexity of the root canal system and it is equally essential to understand the principles and problems associated with shaping and cleaning for determining working length and for determining the apical limits of canal preparations for performing microsurgical procedures.