Radiographic evaluation and determination of hypercementosis patterns in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia: A retrospective cross-sectional study

Objectives: Hypercementosis (HC) is an asymptomatic excessive cementum deposition at the dental root apex. There is a lack of research that determines the pattern and associated factors of HC in Saudi Arabia. Materıals and Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample of 815 Orthopantomograms (OPGs) that was obtained from a total of 14003 female patients archived OPGs. The OPGs were retrieved from the Kodak Carestream-R4 database for the period between 2015 and 2017 at Taibah University Dental College and Hospital (TUDCH), Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia. Width and radiodensity of HC were measured and the distribution was calculated. Association between HC and factors including age and nationality were explored. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. Results: The mean/SD age of HC affected patients (9.8%) was 30.16 ± 13.1 years, of whom 55% were Saudis. The mean/SD width and radiodensity of the hypercementosed roots were 4.14 ± 1.2 mm and 119.86 ± 29.83, respectively. The mandibular teeth were more frequently associated with hypercementosis (65%) specifically first molars (47.5%), while the majority (64%) had a single unilateral distribution pattern. There was a non-significant association between nationality, age, and HC (P = 0.921, P = 0.633, respectively). Conclusion: Hypercementosis observed in 9.8% of female patients attending TUDCH which was primarily unilateral and prominently confined to the mandibular teeth roots. The complication of teeth extraction among female patients in Almadinah region should be anticipated.