Objectives: The failure in locating an extra canal is one of the major causes of an unsuccessful endodontic therapy.The root canal configurations may exhibit variations depending on the age, sex and race of the patient as well as the restoration type. Different types of root canals have been encountered in mandibular second molar teeth . In this report, the management of 3 cases are presented which are good examples of variations in root canal configurations. Methods: In the first case, the 3 root canals of a mandibular left second molar belonging to a 34 year old male patient were endodontically treated; however a flare-up occured due to the presence of an undetermined third root and fourth canal. Retreatment was performed and the patient was free of symptoms in the next 8-month follow-up period. The second case was a mandibular right second molar belonging to a 25 year old female patient. Radiographic examination revealed the presence of a single wide root canal extending until the apex. Endodontic treatment was performed and the root canal was obturated with the lateral condensation technique. In the third case , a C-shaped root canal was encountered in a 45 year old male patient. The root canal had more than one orifices and radioghraphic examination gave the impression that 2 root canals merging near the apex were present in the tooth. After determining that the canal was C- shaped, the root canal was obturated by the lateral condensation technique. Results: Following proper endodontic treatment, no further complaints were noted from the patients. Conclusions: The aforementioned 3 cases prove one more time that the clinician must always be aware the possibility of the presence of variations in canal anatomy.

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