title: Endodontic application of cone-beam computed tomography in South Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to investigate the incidence of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) associated with endodontic procedures during 2009 in South Korea and to retrospectively evaluate information from CBCT with large field of view (FOV), which is popular in South Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Health Insurance Review and Assessment agency, which reviews all medical and dental expenses covered under the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) system, was queried for data on the nationwide number of CBCTs associated with some treatment procedures. To compare digital periapical radiography and CBCT retrospectively, 470 roots of 257 root canal-infected teeth were enrolled.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 13,209 cases of NHI-covered CBCT were performed in South Korea during 2009, excluding cases for implant restoration and orthodontics. In total, 1253 and 95 CBCT cases were combined with root canal length measuring and apicoectomy, respectively. In a retrospective comparison, CBCT with large FOV provided more information about the presence of apical periodontitis, distortion of cortical bone, and identification of root compared with digital periapical radiography.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CBCT with large FOV is useful in nonsurgical endodontic treatment and provides more information compared with digital periapical radiography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. seonah23@naver.com
authors.forename: Seonah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001047:Apicoectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003788:Dental Pulp Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009811:Odontometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010485:Periapical Periodontitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014095:Tooth, Impacted / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging