title: Development and Evaluation of an Endodontic Simulation Model for Dental Students.
abstract: The aims of this study were to develop an endodontic simulation model able to implement the electronic method of working length determination (electronic apex locators, EALs) in a dental school, to evaluate the practicality of this tool for dental students, and to compare the accuracy of working length measurements achieved by the EAL and the radiographic method. A new simulation model was constructed by embedding extracted human teeth in a self-cured resin, along with a conductive medium. After radiographic and electronic working length determinations, root canal instrumentation was performed by students at a dental school in Austria according to the working lengths obtained from the EAL. Subsequently, root apices (n=44) were longitudinally sectioned using a diamond coated bur. Measurements of the distance between the anatomical root apex (ARA) and the apical constriction (AC) as well as between ARA and the ascertained apical point of endodontic instrumentation were performed using digital photography and a 3D computer-assisted design software. The distance between ARA and the radiologic (ARA-R) or electrometric (ARA-EL) readings of the apical point of endodontic instrumentation was compared with the actual distance ARA-AC. The accuracy of both methods was determined. The difference between the actual distance ARA-AC and the targeted radiological distance was statistically significant (p=0.0001), as was the measured distance between ARA-R and ARA-EL (p=0.016). The electronic method seems to be more precisely referring to the AC (R(2)=0.0198) than the radiographic method (R(2)=0.0019). These results suggest that the endodontic simulation model described in this study can be successfully used in preclinical dental education.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Wolgin is Assistant Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wiedemann is a postdoctoral student, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Frank is Professor, Centre for Preclinical Education, Department of Biostatistics, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wrbas is Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria, and Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany; and Dr. Kielbassa is Dean, Professor, and Head, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria. michael.wolgin@dp-uni.ac.at.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolgin
authors.affiliation: Dr. Wolgin is Assistant Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wiedemann is a postdoctoral student, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Frank is Professor, Centre for Preclinical Education, Department of Biostatistics, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wrbas is Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria, and Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany; and Dr. Kielbassa is Dean, Professor, and Head, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.affiliation: Dr. Wolgin is Assistant Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wiedemann is a postdoctoral student, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Frank is Professor, Centre for Preclinical Education, Department of Biostatistics, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wrbas is Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria, and Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany; and Dr. Kielbassa is Dean, Professor, and Head, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria.
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: Dr. Wolgin is Assistant Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wiedemann is a postdoctoral student, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Frank is Professor, Centre for Preclinical Education, Department of Biostatistics, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wrbas is Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria, and Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany; and Dr. Kielbassa is Dean, Professor, and Head, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria.
authors.forename: Karl-Thomas
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Wrbas
authors.affiliation: Dr. Wolgin is Assistant Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wiedemann is a postdoctoral student, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Frank is Professor, Centre for Preclinical Education, Department of Biostatistics, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria; Dr. Wrbas is Professor, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria, and Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center University of Freiburg, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany; and Dr. Kielbassa is Dean, Professor, and Head, Centre for Operative Dentistry, Periodontology, and Endodontology, University of Dental Medicine and Oral Health, Danube Private University, Krems, Austria.
authors.forename: Andrej M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kielbassa
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004497:Education, Dental; D055615:Electrical Equipment and Supplies; D004708:Endodontics / Q000193:education*; D057918:Fiducial Markers; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008348:Manikins; D003765:Models, Dental; D009811:Odontometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D023861:Photography, Dental / Q000379:methods; D011859:Radiography; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013335:Students, Dental; D013664:Teaching Materials; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: computer-assisted instruction; dental education; endodontics; root canal treatment; simulation model