A SEM study of in vivo accuracy of the Root ZX electronic apex locator.
Twenty-nine unprepared, vital teeth were used to evaluate the accuracy of the Root ZX in locating the root canal foramen. After extraction of the teeth, a scanning electron microscope analyzed the relation of the file tip to the foramen. The sample was divided into two groups (Group A and Group B) according to the presence of a normal apical foramen (along the root main axis) or of a lateral foramen (deviating from the root main axis). With a tolerance level of +/- 0.5 mm, a clinical accuracy rate of 82.75% was recorded in the total sample. With a +/- 1.0-mm tolerance level, an accuracy of 100% was found. The error in locating the apex was significantly smaller in cases with a normal apical foramen (Group A) than in cases with a lateral foramen (Group B) (p < 0.001). An accuracy of 100% at the +/- 0.5-mm tolerance level was registered in Group A.
Department of Endodontics, University of Florence, Italy.
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Pagavino
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Pace
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Baccetti
D003762:Dental Instruments; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009811:Odontometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019227:Tooth Apex; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000033:anatomy & histology*