Assessment of Periodontal Disease and the Presence of Pulp Stone: Retrospective Radiologic Study

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between the severity of periodontal disease and the presence of pulp stones using panoramic radiographies. Material and Methods: The study included 96 individuals aged 18-45 years. The patients were divided into four groups as control (periodontally healthy), gingivitis, stage 1-2 periodontitis and stage 3-4 periodontitis. The patients' panoramic radiographs and dental examination records were evaluated retrospectively and any pulp stones were recorded. The Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between the presence of pulp stones and other parameters. Results: Evaluating the findings on a patient basis, the highest pulp stones were seen in the stage 3-4 (79.2%) group, and the least pulp stones were observed in the control group (20.8%). There was a statistically significant difference between the control group and the gingivitis group (p=0.017), the control group and the stage 3-4 group (p<0.001), and the stage 1-2 and stage 3-4 groups (p=0.001). On a tooth basis, the most pulp stones were observed in the stage 3-4 (14.9%) group, and the least pulp stones were observed in the control group (1.7%). Conclusion: The severity of periodontitis was associated with increased pulp stones. The diagnosis and treatment of patients with endodontic-periodontal problems should be carefully planned accordingly. The presence of pulp stones, which can complicate accessing root canals in endodontic treatment, should be comprehensively investigated.