Investigation on the frequency of streak artifacts resulted from different sealers in cone-beam computed tomography images
Accepted: 24 July 2021
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Aim: This ex-vivo study aimed to investigate streaking artifacts produced by three different sealers to prevent false-positive diagnosis of vertical root fractures (VRF) in clinical settings using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
Materials and Methods: The present experimental study included 60 mandibular teeth, single-rooted premolars prepared using a Protaper F3 file and randomly classified into 4 groups, which were obturated using gutta-percha F3 cones alone (control group) or with one of the sealers: MTA Fillapex (FA), Sealapex, and AH26. The teeth underwent CBCT scan with a 5×8 cm field of view (FOV), and the images were qualitatively evaluated in axial sections by two observers and were coded as follows: Code 1: absence of dark streaks, Code 2: slight dark streaks, Code 3: pronounced dark streaks not extending to the root surface, Code 4: dark streaks extending to the root surface, resembling a fracture.
Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20.chi-square test was used for artifact frequency comparison at P≤0.05 level of significance.
Result: According to both observers, there was no significant inter-group difference in artifact frequency (P>0.05), while Code 3 was the most common artifact observed in all groups.
Conclusions: Dark streaks not extending to the root surface (code 3) were the most common artifact in the teeth obturated using gutta-percha cones alone or with sealers MTA Fillapex (FA), Sealapex, and AH26.
Supporting Agencies
Research Deputy of Zahedan University of Medical SciencesGiornale Italiano di Endodonzia has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.