Clinical and radiographic study of dens invaginatus.

After a determination of the frequency of dens invaginatus by means of radiographic observations, various problems of its identification are discussed. The 188 teeth showing a distinct loop-shaped invagination apically on the radiograph were studied for the presence or absence of caries and periapical lesions. It was demonstrated that periapical lesions caused by caries are mostly due to interproximal caries and that the frequency of periapical lesions caused by caries in the dens invaginatus area was less than previously reported. Comments are made on the dens invaginatus cases having periapical lesions without caries and the parameters for future studies.