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Furcation-involved molar teeth - part 2: management and prognosis

British Dental Journal volume 233, pages 923–928 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Furcation-involved molars are a common presentation in general dental practice. Teeth with increasing degrees of furcation involvement are at a higher risk of requiring extraction. This second article reviews management and prognosis of furcation-involved molar teeth. An improved understanding of how to appropriately manage these teeth can result in improved outcomes for patients.

Key points

  • As the degree of furcation involvement increases, the available treatment options increase in complexity and associated risk.

  • Regeneration of a furcation-involved molar may be considered as a treatment option under certain circumstances, which can lead to a reduction in both the horizontal and vertical components of furcation involvement.

  • The presence of a furcation involvement is certainly no reason for extraction. Treatment options are available for Grades I-III with increasing evidence supporting their execution to aid the long-term prognosis and survival of molar teeth. However, more research is required in this area, particularly in the form of randomised controlled trials.

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Acknowledgements

To Dr Kitichai Janaphan for providing clinical cases for this publication.

Funding

Thomas Gill and Priya Bahal are National Institute for Health and Care Research-funded academic clinical fellows.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Clinical Fellow, Specialist Registrar in Restorative Dentistry and Honorary Clinical Research Fellow, Royal London Dental Hospital, Barts NHS Trust, Turner Street, Whitechapel, London E1 1FR, UK; Academic Clinical Fellow, Specialist Registrar in Restorative Dentistry and Honorary Clinical Research Fellow, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Royal London Dental Hospital, Turner Street, London, E1 2AD, UK

    Thomas Gill

  2. Academic Clinical Fellow, Periodontology Department, Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London, SE1 9RT, UK; Specialist Registrar in Periodontology, Periodontology Unit, Centre for Host Microbe Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King´s College London, London, UK

    Priya Bahal

  3. Professor, Periodontology Unit, Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, King´s College London, London, UK

    Luigi Nibali

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Thomas Gill and Priya Bahal contributed to design, article writing and approval of the article. Luigi Nibali contributed to review of the article.

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Correspondence to Thomas Gill.

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Gill, T., Bahal, P. & Nibali, L. Furcation-involved molar teeth - part 2: management and prognosis. Br Dent J 233, 923–928 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-022-5254-y

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