REVIEW ARTICLE Key words accessory root, accessory root canal, mandibular molar, middle mesial canal, root, root canal Hany Mohamed Aly Ahmed Department of Restora- tive Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia Norhayati Luddin Department of Restora- tive Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kelantan, Malaysia Correspondence to: Dr Hany Mohamed Aly Ahmed Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, 16150, Kelantan, Malaysia Tel: 00-601-29857937 Email: hany_endodontist@ hotmail.com Hany Mohamed Aly Ahmed, Norhayati Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth: Case reports, SEM analysis and literature review Introduction Thorough knowledge on root and root canal morph- ology is a fundamental prerequisite for successful root canal treatment 1 . Accessory roots in mandibular permanent molar teeth have been comprehensively investigated in previous studies 2-7, and it can be concluded that the occasion of this anatomical ab- erration varies according to ethnicity, gender and association with some diseases 4, 8-10 . While the oc- currence of radix entomolaris (accessory disto lingual roots) and radix paramolaris (accessory buccal roots) is usually mentioned as the typical clinical nding for three-rooted mandibular permanent molar teeth 6,11 , the occasion of three-rooted mandibular Adequate knowledge on the root and root canal morphological variations is essential for successful endodontic treatment. Mandibular molar teeth show considerable variability and complexity in their external and internal radicular morphology that require special attention from dental practitioners to provide the best clinical outcomes for the patients. This report aims to describe two clinical cases of mandibular molar teeth with accessory mesial roots/root canals. The rst case demonstrates a suc- cessful identication and endodontic management of a three-rooted mandibular second molar with an accessory mesial root, and the second case presents a mandibular rst molar with ve root canals, in which three separate mesial root canals were identied. With the aid of SEM and radiographic examination, both external and internal radicular morphological analysis were also performed on an extracted mandibular second molar tooth having an apical mesial root bifurcation. In addition, a review on the literature was undertaken to identify the available in vitro and in vivo studies that demonstrated these anatomical aberrations in the mesial root of mandibular molar teeth. molar tooth with an accessory mesial root can be rather common 4,12-18 . In addition, some studies and reported cases demonstrated the occurrence of four- rooted mandibular molar teeth having double mesial roots 4,5,16,18-22 . Apart from this external anatomical aberration, mandibular molar teeth show an increased likelihood for internal morphological variations including root canals with unusual congurations, lateral and furca- tion canals and inter-canal communications 1,23-25 . Within this complex anatomy of the root canal sys- tem, the increased prevalence of additional root canals, which is signicantly inuenced by ethnicity and age 1,26 , is considered at the forefront of chal- lenges facing clinicians while performing endodontic Ahmed/Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth 196 ENDO (Lond Engl) 2012;6(3):195205 therapy. Even though mandibular molar teeth are usually presented with double mesial root canals, as many as four canals have been reported in the mesial root of mandibular molar teeth 27-30 . Because of these external and internal anatom- ical discrepancies, it is of prime importance for the clinicians to clearly identify their morphological land- marks. Hence, this article aims to present two clin- ical cases and one extracted mandibular molar tooth having these anatomical aberrations in the mesial root. In addition, a literature search for the available and relevant articles, cited in PubMed and Google Scholar from 1971 to 2011, was undertaken to iden- tify the available in vitro and in vivo studies that demonstrated this aberrant anatomy. Case 1 A 30-year-old male patient was referred with the chief complaint of a dull pain while chewing on the mandibular right side. The medical history was noncontributory. The clinical examination revealed a large and deep carious cavity related to the man- dibular right second molar with slight pain on per- cussion. There was no evidence of current swelling or tooth mobility. Radiographically, the tooth showed widening of the periodontal ligament spaces around the mesial and distal roots (Fig 1a). A second mesial root was identied (Fig 1a). The pulp of the tooth was provisionally diagnosed as necrotic with asym- tomatic apical periodontitis. Following caries excava- tion, the pulp was conrmed to be necrotic and a root canal treatment was scheduled. All endodontic procedures were performed with the aid of magnication using 4 prismatic dental loupes (Heine, Herrsching, Germany), accessory light emitting diode illumination (LED) (3S, Heine, Herrsching, Germany) and rhodium plated front surface mirror (Hahnenkratt, Knigsbach-Stein, Ger- many). After the administration of local anaesthesia and rubber dam isolation, the access cavity prep- aration was completed. During exploration of the pulp chamber, a wide buccolingual dimension of the mesial access cavity wall was noted, indicating the complete division of the mesial root into two well- separated mesial root components (Fig 1b). Following this, the mesiobuccal (MB), mesio- lingual (ML) and distal (D) root canals were coronally shaped using sizes 2 and 3 Gates-Glidden drills (Mani, Tochigi, Japan ). The working length was determined using electronic apex locator (Element Diagnostic Unit, SybronEndo, Orange, California, USA), and the canals were initially instrumented using hand K-Flex- oles (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) up to sizes 25 and 30 for the mesial and distal canals, respectively. Subsequently, with the aid of a NaviTip needle gauge 29 (Ultradent, South Jordan, Utah, USA), the canals were injected with an aqueous radiopaque calcium hydroxide paste (UltraCal XS, Ultradent, South Jordan, Utah, USA), and the access cavity was then temporized using a fast set highly viscous conventional glass ionomer cement (Ionol Molar AC Quick, Voco, Cuxhaven, Germany). In the following visit, the hand mechanical instrumentation was continued up to sizes 35 and 45 for the mesial and distal root canals, respectively. Finally, the canals were obturated using the lateral compaction tech- nique (Figs 1c and d). Case 2 A 40-year-old male patient presented with the main complaint of severe pain while chewing on man- dibular left side of the jaw. Clinical and radiographic examinations revealed a large proximal carious le- sion related to his mandibular left rst molar with severe pain on percussion and loss of periapical periodontal ligament space (Fig 2a). Following l ocal anaesthesia, the caries was excavated, and root canal treatment was initiated after the pulp exposure was conrmed. Similar to the previous case, all treatment steps were employed with the aid of assisted magni- cation and accessory illumination. The tooth was isolated and the access cavity was prepared, after restoring the distal wall using a fast set highly vis- cous conventional glass ionomer cement (Ionol Molar AC Quick, Voco). The working lengths were determined for the four root canals (MB mesio- buccal; ML mesiolingual; DB distobuccal; DL distolingual) using electronic apex locator (Element Diagnostic Unit, SybronEndo). The DB and DL root canals were connected at the apical third of the root by one apical foramen. The canals were coronally shaped using Gates-Glidden drills (Mani) (sizes 2 and 3) and apically instrumented to a exible le Ahmed/Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth 197 ENDO (Lond Engl) 2012;6(3):195205 size 25 (Mani). Then, an aqueous radiopaque cal- cium hydroxide paste (UltraCal, Ultradent) was in- troduced into the canals as intracanal medicament using NaviTip needles gauge 29 (Ultradent), and the access cavity was then temporized using glass ionomer cement (Ionol Molar AC Quick, Voco). In the subsequent visit, a thorough exploration of the mesial groove between the MB and ML canal orices was performed using an endodontic explorer under magnication and a middle mesial (MM) root canal was located (Fig 2b). The canal showed a sep- arate apical foramen (Fig 2c). The orice and about 2 mm of the coronal third of the MM canal were ared using a Gates-Glidden drill (Mani) (size 2), and the mechanical instrumentation was continued using stainless steel exible hand les (Mani) until only size 30 to reduce the risk of perforation, while the MB and ML canals were prepared at size 35. The distal root canal was instrumented up to size 50. Finally, the canals were obturated using the lateral compac- tion technique (Fig 2d). b c d Fig 1 (a) Periapical radiograph showing the external outlines of the two mesial roots (white arrows). (b) An intraoral photograph showing the wide buccolingual dimension of the me- sial orices. (c and d) Postoperative periapical radiograph. a Ahmed/Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth 198 ENDO (Lond Engl) 2012;6(3):195205 Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and radiographic evaluation of a mandibular molar with unusual anatomy of the mesial root The external and internal morphological features of a badly decayed mandibular second molar extracted from an 18-year-old male patient with an apically bifurcated mesial root were evaluated (Fig 3a). After resection of the bifurcated mesial root using a hard tissue microtome (Exakt, Norderstedt, Germany), it was applied to a small piece of plasticine attached onto a metal stub for SEM. The stub was then t- ted into a charge reduction sample holder for non- conductive samples, and the sample was examined under a desktop SEM (FEI Phenom, Eindhoven, The Netherlands). The SEM analysis revealed the pres- ence of furcation, lateral canals and multiple for- amina at both apices (Figs 3b to 3i). The radiographic examination showed three mesial canals, in which the mesiobuccal and middle mesial root canals were connected at the middle third of the root (Fig 3j). Discussion The incidence of missed roots and root canals in root canal treated teeth has been reported as high as 42% 31 . This high percentage indicates that the a b c d Fig 2 (a) Preoperative radiograph showing large proximal cavitation and loss of periapical periodontal ligament space. (b) Intraoral photograph showing the orices of the three mesial canals. (c) The three master cones in place after mechanical instrumentation. (d) Postoperative periapical radiograph. Ahmed/Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth 199 ENDO (Lond Engl) 2012;6(3):195205 variability in intra- and extra-radicular anatomy is the rule rather than the exception. Due to these mor- phological complexities, it is of prime importance for the clinician to ignore the absolute condence of the pre-estimated number of roots and root canals. This broad anticipation, accompanied with clinical thor- oughness by utilising well exposed and processed periapical radiographs with different angulations, assisted magnication and accessory illumination, front surface mirrors, proper access cavity prepar- ation and accurate intra- and inter-canal exploration, would facilitate the detection of these anatomical aberrations 6,32,33 . An accessory root, also known as an extra root, supernumerary root, supplementary root or addi- tional root, refers to the development of an increased number of roots in teeth compared with that clas- sically described in dental anatomy 34 . Its forma- tion usually occurs either by splitting the Hertwigs epithelial root sheath (HERS) to form two similar roots (usually not possible to dene which one is the accessory), or by folding of the HERS to form an independent root 35 . The splitting or folding of the HERS results in the formation of a bifurcation area, which may have furcation canals. The specimen for SEM analysis used in the present study exhibited this anatomical variation at the furcation area, located apically, between the mesial roots (Figs 3b and 3c). This apical location of the furcation area, encasing the furcation canals, together with the increased prevalence for lateral canals, apical ramications and accessory foramina in this apical part of the root (Figs 3d to 3i), would serve as a well-protected en- vironment for micro-organisms that may complicate the optimisation of root canal preparation. Interestingly, some controversial opinions do exist with regard to the application of the term accessory roots. In 1971, De Souza-Freitas et al 12 studied the anatomical variations of mandibular rst molar roots in two ethnic groups, and commented that disto- Fig 3 (a) Mandibular second molar with an apically bifurcated mesial root. (b and c) Identication of a furcation canal. (d and e) Detection of a lateral canal at the buccal surface of the mesiolingual root component. (f to i) Multiple foramina in the mesiobuccal and mesiolingual roots. (j) The middle mesial canal was identied, and was connected to the mesiobuccal canal. a b d i e f h c h MB ML MM j Ahmed/Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth 200 ENDO (Lond Engl) 2012;6(3):195205 lingual roots are the real supplementary roots, and they did not consider the mesial root bifurcation as a third root, even though many authors dened this mesial root bifurcation as extra roots 4,8,15,16,18,22,36 . Besides this disagreement, it is not clear whether the level of root bifurcation and degree of separation should also be considered or not before dening any root component as an accessory root. Onda et al 20 ex- amined the shape and number of roots in mandibular molar teeth extracted from Indian skulls. Interestingly, the authors dened and correlated the increase in root number with the presence of distolingual root, accessory lingual root and bifurcation of the mesial root. Those samples were then divided according to the level of mesial root bifurcation, either more or less than one third of the root length. Accordingly, it seems sensible that all root bifurcations that have their own root canals dened as extra roots which can then be classied according to their level of bifurcation (apical, middle or cervical) and whether they are separated or fused. As such, the extracted tooth sample in this study would be classied as three-rooted mandibular molar tooth with well separated, double mesial roots in which the level of bifurcation is at the apical third. These criteria have almost been followed with other teeth such as three-rooted maxillary premolars with double buccal roots 37 . A review on the literature indicates that the oc- casion of accessory mesial roots in mandibular molar teeth, commonly in the 1st molar, ranges from about 0.2% to over 20% 4 , 8,12-14,16,18,38,39 (Table 1). This was found more frequently in some populations such as Taiwanese Han Chinese 16,18 , that can reach 22.5% 18 , and to a lesser extent in the Middle East (Saudi Arabians and Egyptians) 4 , Chinese 39 , and some populations with European and Japanese descents 12 . Table 1 Summary for the occurrence of accessory mesial roots in mandibular molar teeth. (CBCT: cone beam computed tomography, M: Molar, *: unpublished data). Author/s Year Type of study Percentage % (number of teeth/total) de Souza-Freitas et al 12 1971 In vivo (clinical survey) (radiographic) 4.5% (38/844) of children with European descent (1 st M) 2.8% (13/466) of children with Japanese descent (1 st M) Barker 13 1973 In vitro (extracted teeth) % not listed (2 nd M). Specimens from Department of Anatomy, University of Sydney, Australia Barker et al 38 1974 In vitro (radiographic) % not listed (2 nd M). Specimens from Department of Anatomy, University of Sydney, Australia Manning 14 1990 In vitro (clearing technique) 2% (3/149) (2 nd M) Younes et al 4 1990 Phase I: In vitro (extracted teeth) 0.51% (2/385) of Saudi Arabian (1 st M) 0.21% (1/457) of Egyptian (1 st M) Midtb and Halse 8 1994 In vivo (clinical survey) (radiographic) 6.1% (2/33 patients) Turner syndrome (1 st M) 9.1% (3/33 patients) Turner syndrome (2 nd M) Huang et al 16 2007 In vivo (radiographic) Taiwanese Han Chinese patients 6.3% (21/332) (3-rooted 1 st M) 4.5% (15/332) (4-rooted 1 st M) Huang et al 18 2010 In vivo (clinical survey) (CBCT) Taiwanese Han Chinese patients 22.5% (117/521) (3-rooted 1 st M) 18% (94/521) (4-rooted 1 st M) Zhang et al 39 2011 In vivo (clinical survey) (CBCT) 0.4% (1/232) (4-rooted 1 st M) Ahmed* 2011 In vivo (clinical survey) 4.44% (2/45) of Saudi Arabian (1 st and 2 nd M) 1.81% (1/55) of Egyptian (1 st and 2 nd M) Ahmed/Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth 201 ENDO (Lond Engl) 2012;6(3):195205 In addition, this anatomical variant has been reported in patients with Turner syndrome 8 . It can be noted from the rst case that the me- sial access cavity wall was wide in a buccolingual di- mension (Fig 1b). The alteration in the access cavity conguration is usually a common landmark for teeth having accessory roots 6 , especially when they are well separated with a coronal bifurcation (Figs 1a and 1b, and Fig 5b). During the mechanical preparation of three-rooted mandibular molar teeth, it is important to evaluate the dentine wall thickness and curvature of accessory roots 6,17 . This is because when these roots are relatively thin, the root canal instrumenta- tion should be performed with caution to avoid strip perforation caused by over-enlargement of the en- cased root canals. Additionally, accessory mesial roots can also be presented with severe curvatures 17 . These curved roots should be treated carefully, using exible les and suitable sized irrigation needles with lubrica- tion 40 , to preserve the normal root canal geometry, and prevent the incidence of unexpected complica- tions such as instrument separation 6 . Similar to accessory roots, accessory root canals in- dicate an increased number of root canals compared with that classically described 41,42 . The occurrence of an accessory mesial root canal in mandibular molar teeth (commonly the 1 st molar) shows a wide preva- lence from 0.4 to over 18% 25,38,42-62 (Table 2). This is commonly observed in patients of a young age 43,46,48 . Many studies demonstrated this anatomical variation in some population groups such as Chinese 47,61,62 , Tai- wan Chinese 59 , Turkish 49,55 , South Asian Pakistanis 51 , Burmese 52 , Thai 53 , Japanese 54,58 , Sudanese 56 , Sri Lankan 58 and Jordanian 60 . However, many of these studies did not consider the patients age with regard to their ndings 49,51-53,55,60 . As such, the comparison between these population groups might not be entirely relevant as the age factor might have greater contribu- tion, or more closely associated, with the presence of accessory root canal rather than ethnicity. Owing to the morphological variations of the middle mesial canal, also named as intermediate canal 46 , Pomeranz et al 43 classied it into three classes: a) A n when at any stage during debridement, the instrument could pass freely between the mesiobuccal or mesiolingual canal and the mid- dle mesial canal. b) A conuent when the prepared canal origin- ated as a separate orice but apically joined the mesiobuccal or mesiolingual canal (Figs 3 and 4). c) The least frequent variant is the independent when the prepared canal originated as a sep- arate orice and terminated as a separate for- amen (Fig 2). Even when the middle mesial canal is conuent or independent, its orice lo- cation shows considerable variations. It can be located near the mesiolingual orice 45,63 , equi- distant between the mesiobuccal and mesiolin- gual canals 46,63 (Fig 2), or near the mesiobuc- cal orice 64 (Figs 3 and 4). The close proximity of the orice to either the mesiobuccal or me- siolingual orice does not necessarily indicate its commun ication to that nearby canal. Sometimes it is connected to the one with the far orice 64
(Fig 4), or even remains separate 65 . In order to locate these canals, the clinicians should be aware of the clinical landmarks and diagnostic aids that would help in identifying the anatomy of the root canal space to prevent the undesirable con- sequences when they are left untreated 66 . These are summarised in the following points: The wide buccolingual dimension of the access cavity may indicate the presence of more than two mesial canals 29 (Fig 5). In some instances, a bleeding point or bubbling on the middle mesial canal orice resulting from the interaction between sodium hypo- chlorite and the remaining soft tissues can be observed 48 . Fig 4 (a) A mesial root in mandibular molar with a middle mesial (MM) canal orice close to the mesiobuccal canal (MB). (b) Despite this, the MM canal communicates with mesiolingual canal (ML). (c) The MM was shaped to size 35. c ML MB MM MB MM ML b a Ahmed/Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth 202 ENDO (Lond Engl) 2012;6(3):195205 Table 2 Summary for the occurrence of accessory mesial root canals in mandibular molar teeth. Root canal congurations (3-3, 3-2, 2-3, 3-1, 3-4, 3-2-1, 3-2-3) are included. (CT: computed tomography, microCT: micro-computed tomography; CBCT: cone beam computed tomography, M: molar, *: unpublished data).
Author/s Year Type of study Percentage (number of teeth/total) Barker et al 38 1974 In vitro (radiographic and epoxy resin moulds) % not listed (1 st M) Pomeranz et al 43 1981 In vivo (clinical survey) 11.5% (7/61) (1 st M) 12.8% (5/39) (2 nd M) Vertucci 44 1984 In vitro (clearing technique) 1% (1/100) (1 st M) Martinez-Berna and Badanelli 45 1985 In vivo (clinical survey) 1.48% (21/1418) (1 st M) 0.42% (4/944) (2 nd M) Fabra-Campos 46 1985 In vivo (clinical survey) 2.76% (4/145) (1 st M) Walker 47 1988 In vitro (radiographic) 1% (1/100) (1 st M) Fabra-Campos 48 1989 In vivo (clinical survey) 2.6% (20/760) (1 st M) alikan et al 49 1995 In vitro (clearing technique) 3.39% (1 st M) 1.96% (2 nd M) de Carvalho and Zuolo 50 2000 In vitro (operating microscope) 17.2% (16/93) (1 st M) 4.5% (5/111) (2 nd M) Wasti et al 51 2001 In vitro (clearing technique) 3.3% (1/30) (1 st M) Gulabivala et al 52 2001 In vitro (clearing technique) 10.8% (15/139) (1 st M) Gulabivala et al 53 2002 In vitro (clearing technique) 6.78% (8/118) (1 st M) 3.33% (2/60) (2 nd M) Villegas et al 54 2004 In vitro (clearing technique) 4.76% (3/63) (1 st M) Sert and Bayirli 55 2004 In vitro (clearing technique) 1.5% (3/200) (1 st M)(Male) Ahmed et al 56 2007 In vitro (clearing technique) 4% (4/100) (1 st M) Navarro et al 57 2007 In vitro (CT) In vitro (SEM) 14.8% (4/27) (1 st M) 12% (3/25) (1 st M) Peiris 58 2008 In vitro (clearing technique) 1% (1 st M) (Sri-Lankan) 2.6% (1 st M) (Japanese) Peiris et al 25 2008 In vitro (clearing technique) 1.13% (2/177) (1 st M) Chen et al 59 2009 In vitro (clearing technique) 5.46% (10/183) (1 st M) Al-Qudah and Awawdeh 60 2009 In vitro (clearing technique) 4.55% (15/330) (1 st M) 1.41% (5/355) (2 nd M) Gu et al 61 2010 In vitro (microCT) 2.2% (1/45) (3-rooted 1 st M) Karapinar-Kazandag et al 42 2010 In vitro (loupes followed by operating microscope) (negoti- ated canals) 14.58% (7/48) (1 st M) 18.75% (9/48) (2 nd M) Wang et al 62 2010 In vitro (CBCT) 2.68% (11/410) (2-rooted 1 st M) 0.69% (1/144) (3-rooted 1 st M) Ahmed* 2011 In vivo (clinical survey) 1.81% (1/55) (Egyptian) (1 st and 2 nd M) Adequate magnication and illumination pro- vide a great precision while troughing the groove between the mesiobuccal and mesio- lingual canals 1 . This can be performed using a long shank small round bur or ultrasonic tips 67 . After troughing, a sharp endodontic explorer and/or small K-les (size 8 or 10) can be used. Sometimes, the use of methylene blue staining is helpful 1 . Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) can also provide a supportive diagnostic tool, which is recommended when conventional periapical radiographs provide limited information and fur- ther anatomical details are required to be iden- tied 68 . This advanced technology can also be performed when the mesial root is scheduled for endodontic surgery. The identication of an undetected independent middle mesial canal by Ahmed/Luddin Accessory mesial roots and root canals in mandibular molar teeth 203 ENDO (Lond Engl) 2012;6(3):195205 CBCT helps the operator to optimise the retro- grade cavity preparation, or may even change the treatment plan to an attempt for orthograde endodontic approach. Despite these benets and due to the possibility of some misleading ndings in CBCT views, it should adjunctly be correlated with the clinical picture 69 . Once found, great consideration should be given to the external anatomy of the mesial root while performing mechanical instrumentation. Berutti and Fedon 70 demonstrated that the distal surface of the mesial root is concave, and that the dentine/ cementum thickness at this area is one fth less than its usual appearance in the radiograph. In addition to this distal concavity, the mesial root can also be presented with a mesial depression (Fig 5f). As a result of this anatomical landmark, the middle mesial canal, which sometimes has a lesser diameter than the other two canals 46 , should not be over-enlarged to prevent the danger of perforation. Gates-Glidden drills should be avoided or used with great caution when required. The use of enlarging les to size 30 or 35 is considered safe and adequate 45,64,71 (Fig 4). Conclusion The mesial root in mandibular molar teeth shows an increased prevalence for external and internal radicular aberrations. Adequate knowledge and good anticipation of these anatomical variations, as well as clinical thoroughness during every root canal treatment procedure, are essential for the op- timisation of root canal therapy, thus maintaining a high rate of clinical success. Acknowledgement The SEM images were taken with the kind assistance of Mr Chairul Sopian and Ms Nora Aziz, technolo- gists at the Craniofacial Science Laboratory, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. References 1. Vertucci FJ. Root canal morphology and its relationship to endodontic procedures. Endodontic Topic. 2005;10:329. 2. Turner CG, 2nd. Three-rooted mandibular rst permanent molars and the question of American Indian origins. Am J Phys Anthropol 1971;34:229241. 3. Carlsen O, Alexandersen V. Radix entomolaris: identica- tion and morphology. Scand J Dent Res 1990;98:363373. 4. 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