Root canal treatment of a maxillary first premolar with three roots.

Successful root canal treatment needs a thorough knowledge of both internal and external anatomy of a tooth. Variations in root canal anatomy constitute an impressive challenge to the successful completion of endodontic treatment. Undetected extra roots and canals are a major reason for failed root canal treatment. Three separate roots in a maxillary first premolar have a very low incidence of 0.5-6%. Three rooted premolars are anatomically similar to molars and are sometimes called "small molars or radiculous molars." This article explains the diagnosis and endodontic management of a three rooted maxillary premolar with separate canals in each root highlighting that statistics may indicate a low incidence of abnormal variations in root canal morphology of a tooth, but aberrant anatomy is a possibility in any tooth. Hence, modern diagnostics like cone beam computed tomography, and endodontic operating microscope may have to be used more for predictable endodontic treatment.