Volume 25 , Issue 2 , December 2023 , Pages 248-255
Azhar Ghanim Ahmed 1 ; Ranj Adil Jalal 2 ; Mohammed Abdalla Mahmood 1 ; Rukhosh Hasan Abdalrahim 1
1 Dental Basic Sciences Department, College of Dentistry, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq
2 Oral Diagnosis Department, College of Dentistry, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq
Background: Pulp stones (PSs) are calcified masses, found commonly in dental pulps of
healthy, diseased, and even unerupted teeth. Objectives: Our study aims to determine the
prevalence of PS in Kurdish adults using an orthopantomograph (OPG) and investigate
the relationships between PSs with sex, age, tooth type, and dental arch/side. Patients
and Methods: We examined 1,170 digital OPGs from Kurdish patients at the private
Maxillofacial Radiology Center in Sulaimaniyah City, Iraq, were taken for various
purposes between January and July 2023. A total of 31,598 teeth were examined to
identify PSs. We collected patient data and determined correlations between the presence
of PSs and various patient variables. Results: About 242 (20.68%) patients and 471
(1.49%) teeth had at least one stone. The prevalence of PS in the Kurdish population was
20.68% based on the total number of patients examined and it was 1.49% based on the
total teeth examined. The PS frequently was found in those aged 45 years and more (50%)
and the PS prevalence was higher in females (61%) than males (39%). The maxillary
dental arches and molar teeth had the highest frequency of PS (p=0.000). Conclusions:
In the Kurdish population, the prevalence of PSs was moderately high, particularly
among females. PSs were most frequent in the maxillary arch and first molars, with
incidence increasing with age.