title: Detection of vertical root fractures in endodontically treated teeth in the absence and in the presence of metal post by cone-beam computed tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aim of this study was to investigate the influence of gutta-percha and metallic posts on the efficiency of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in diagnosing Vertical Root Fracture (VRF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight teeth were divided into 3 experimental and 3 control groups. The teeth of the first experimental group and the first control group received neither gutta-percha nor metal posts. The teeth of the second experimental group and the second control group were filled with gutta-percha, and the teeth of the third experimental group and the third control group were filled with the metal posts. The teeth of the experimental groups were artificially fractured. The teeth were evaluated through images taken by a Prexion scanner with a 0.1 mm resolution. Fisher's exact test was used to measure the following values: sensitivity, false negative, specificity, false positive and accuracy for the VRF detection through the scanner. Three observers calibrated and blinded to the protocol evaluated the images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inter-observer Kappa coefficient was 0.83. The presence of posts and gutta-percha reduced the sensitivity and the accuracy in detecting the VRF. Regarding to the sensitivity (p = 0.837, p = 0.304, p = 0.837 for evaluator 1, 2 and 3, respectively) and specificity (p = 0.162, p = 0.056, p = 0.062 for evaluator 1, 2 and 3, respectively), Fisher's exact test showed no statistically significant difference among the evaluated groups. However, a significant difference was observed in relation to the accuracy in the results of evaluator 2 (p = 0.03), which showed a much lower accuracy for the post group (50 %) than for the Nonfilled group (93.8 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Prexion tomograph was precise in detecting vertical root fractures and the CBCT diagnostic ability was not influenced by the presence of posts or gutta-percha.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil. ferraz.rebeca@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rebeca Ferraz de
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natália Costa de
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joedy Maria Costa
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Santa Rosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanda Sanderana Macêdo
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandrino Pereira Dos
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Santos Neto
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, S/N - Tabuleiro dos Martins, Zipe Code: 57072-900, Maceió, AL, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vânio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lara Marques
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jéssica Meirinhos
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diana Santana
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: de Albuquerque
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mônica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albuquerque
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto Alves
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, 1650 Newton Cavalcanti Avenue, Zipe Code: 54753-020, Camaragibe, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marleny Elizabeth Márquez de Martínez
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gerbi
mesh_terms: D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D006171:Gutta-Percha; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals; D014082:Tooth Fractures; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000473:pathology*; D019553:Tooth, Nonvital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D006171:Gutta-Percha
keywords: Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Dental posts; Vertical root fracture