title: The root canal morphology in mandibular first premolars: a comparative evaluation of cone-beam computed tomography and micro-computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated the accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in detecting the root canal morphology of mandibular first premolars using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) as a reference standard.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 143 extracted human mandibular first premolars were selected and scanned using micro-CT and CBCT. The acquired images were used to evaluate the root canal morphology in each tooth, and evaluations were repeated after 2 weeks. The root canal configurations observed on the three-dimensional images were recorded, and the findings from both modalities were compared using chi-square tests. The actual agreement between the two modalities was assessed using kappa statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, the root morphologies in 136 mandibular first premolars were consistently identified by both CBCT and micro-CT: type I in 104, type III in five, type V in 20, and type IX in seven. Of the remaining seven teeth, the morphology in two, one, and four teeth was identified as type I, type VII, and type IX (type 1-3 in two and type 1-2-3 in two), respectively, by micro-CT and misdiagnosed as type III, type V, and type V, respectively, by CBCT. There were no significant differences between the two modalities with regard to the accurate detection of root canal configurations, with a kappa value of 0.886 for the actual agreement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although CBCT may be accurate in detecting the root canal configuration in mandibular first premolars, it produces poorer image details compared with micro-CT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CBCT is a reliable radiological technique, but its accuracy in detecting details of the root canal morphology in mandibular first premolars, especially in some complex root canal configurations, needs to be improved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, 10# Changjiangzhilu, Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Chengdu Military General Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, 610083, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Junhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, 10# Changjiangzhilu, Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guihua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, 10# Changjiangzhilu, Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, 10# Changjiangzhilu, Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, 10# Changjiangzhilu, Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiujie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, 10# Changjiangzhilu, Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Luchuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Institute of Surgery Research, Daping Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, 10# Changjiangzhilu, Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China. iradeng@163.com.|Department of Stomatology, The Third Military Medical University, 10# Changjiangzhilu, Daping, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China. iradeng@163.com.
authors.forename: Manjing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D001641:Bicuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
keywords: Cone-beam computed tomography; Mandibular first premolar; Micro-computed tomography; Root canal morphology