Root Canal - Root Canal Anatomy

Root Canal Anatomy

The smaller branches, referred to as accessory canals, are most frequently found near the root end (apex) but may be encountered anywhere along the root length. The total number of root canals per tooth depends on the number of the tooth roots ranging from one to four, five or more in some cases. Sometimes there is more than one root canal per root. Some teeth have more variable internal anatomy than others. An unusual root canal shape, complex branching (especially the existence of horizontal branches), and multiple root canals are considered as the main causes of root canal treatment failures. (e.g. if the dentist does not notice a small secondary root canal branch so that it is cleaned and sealed, it will remain infected causing the root canal therapy to fail).