Prevalence of Pulp Stones in Radiographs of Patients, Referred to Guilan School of Dentistry in 2011

Pulp stone is a focal calcification in dental pulp which is commonly observed in usual dental radiographs and its clinical significance is difficulties to get access to the pulp chamber and root canal in endodontic treatment. So, this study was planned with the aim of determining the prevalence of pulp stone in patients referring to Guilan dental school and to assess its association with age, gender, tooth type, jaw, tooth status and systematic disease in this descriptive cross-sectional study, panoramic and bitewing radiographs of 373 patients referred to Guilan dental school were examined for the presence of pulp stones in the coronal portion of the pulp. Variables of age, sex and systemic disease were also recorded. Statistical analysis of the data was performed by chi-square test. The presence of pulp stone was detected in 20.9% of patients (13.9 female, 7% male) and 3.2% of the teeth. Gender and systemic diseases had no significant association with pulp stone (P>0.05).As age increased, the prevalence of pulp stones increased (P=0.025). Frequency of stone in maxilla was 56% and in mandible was 9% and the difference was significant (P=0.0001). The highest prevalence of pulp stones was in first molars of maxilla. The prevalence of pulp stone was significantly higher in sound teeth (P=0.0001). The results of the present study indicate that pulp stone is a frequent finding in molars and sound teeth and increases significantly with age. There is no significant association between pulp stone and gender or systemic disease.