Mesiodistal radiographic analysis of optical density of materials used in different endodontic techniques through direct digital images

Abstract

Papers have indicated the use of direct digital images taken in the buccolingual projection to measure the mean optical density and the mean dispersion of the optical density of canal filling and to analyse the obturation quality (Sarmento et al., 1998). In vitro, there is the possibility to do the same evaluation, using the me- siodistal radiographic projection. Up to now, no research has been published verifying the effective- ness of the optical density value to assert the filling quality in this projection. Digital radiographs of extracted maxillary canines, in both projections, have been taken before and after their obturation. The optical density has been measured and compared. The results showed the capacity of the optical density measurement, in that images taken in the buc- colingual projection, to reveal the homogeneous and tridimensional filling. The analysis in mesiodistal projection showed different results and thus must be avoided to verify the obturation quality of in vitro investigations. Key words: endodontic (ca- nal) filling, digital images, optical density, mesiodistal projection.