Oral Health and Dental Management

Abstract

The size of dental pulp chamber in adult diabetic patients

The aim of this study was to determine differences in coronal pulp dimensions of first molars among
adult insulin-dependent diabetics and non-diabetics and record the presence of pulp stones. The patients of the study group comprised 56 insulin dependent diabetics (mean age 36.8 years). The control group consisted of 56 non-diabetic subjects (mean age 35.5 years) who were referred to our
clinic. The radiographic examination was carried out, comprising periapical radiographs of first
molars for each patient. They were taken under standardized conditions. The films were digitally
scanned and nine measurements were made from the image of each first molar. The evaluated teeth
were all intact.
Atotal 165 teeth were analyzed. No significant differences were found in the crown height, total pulp
area, coronal pulp area, area of the clinical crown, heights of the mesial and distal pulp horns
between type I diabetics and non-diabetics (p > 0.05).
The results of this study reveal that type I diabetes mellitus does not cause any changes in dental
pulp size from the periapical radiographs.