I just completed treatment of this tooth yesterday and got kind of excited about the palatal anatomy. So I thought second molars would be a good topic. The palatal canal anatomy of maxillary second molars can be very interesting and exciting at times. Particularly when your instrument gets snagged on something, and the canal system doesn’t present the typical tactile feedback. Due to the diameter or the root and the large vascular space many of these palatal systems contain bifurcations, trifurcations, anastomoses, or deltas. One study found that two palatal roots and two palatal canals occur in 1.47% of these teeth.¹ So remember if something feels unusual it probably is, so live in the moment and go exploring. You might find something exciting.

1. Peikoff MD, Christie WH, Fogel HM: The maxillary second molar: variations in the number of roots and canals, Int Endodon J 29(6):365, 1996.