Este estudo objetivou avaliar a influência do diâmetro do forame e do instrumento endodôntico na leitura odontométrica de dois aparelhos localizadores apicais eletrônicos. Foram utilizados 40 dentes incisivos inferiores, divididos em 4 grupos, de acordo com o diâmetro do forame apical (100, 200, 300 e 400 µm). Após a abertura coronária desses dentes e o acesso aos canais radiculares, realizou-se a medição do comprimento dos mesmos com auxílio de um microscópio clínico com ampliação de 7,8X, da incisal até que a ponta da lima surgisse no forame apical. Os dentes foram colocados em potes individuais contendo solução de ágar a 1% em solução salina de fosfato tamponado, mantendo-se cerca de 2/3 de suas raízes imersas na solução para que pudesse ser feita a leitura com o Root ZX® (J.Morita, Japão) e o NovApex® (Fórum, Israel). Os mesmos foram medidos com limas nº10 até que a distância de 0,5 mm do ápice fosse acusada no display dos aparelhos. Uma outra medida foi realizada nos dentes utilizando-se lima nº10 e limas com diâmetros correspondentes ao diâmetro dos forames (200µm, 300µm e 400µm). Para a análise estatística foi empregado o teste de Análise de Variância a dois critérios para o confronto global entre os aparelhos e o emprego da lima nº10 em todos os dentes e teste de Tukey para as comparações individuais. Os resultados demonstraram diferença estatística na precisão dos dois aparelhos com um resultado mais preciso para o Root ZX® (p<0,05). Dentes com forame, de menor diâmetro, apresentaram uma medida mais precisa com o localizador apical e dentes com forame de maior diâmetro apresentaram uma maior discrepância na medida. O emprego de limas tipo K nº10 nos dentes com forames de diâmetros maiores apresentaram maior precisão na medição quando comparadas às limas coincidentes aos diâmetros dos forames para o aparelho Root ZX®. Para o NovApex® esta correlação só passou a ocorrer a partir da lima nº40. / This study evaluated the influence of foramen diameter and endodontic instrument size on the odontometry reading of two electronic apical measuring devices. Forty mandibular incisors were used, which were divided into four groups according to the apical foramen diameter (100, 200, 300 and 400µm). After coronal opening of these teeth and access to the root canals, the root canal length was measured with aid of a clinical microscope with 7.8x magnification, from the incisal edge until the file tip reached the apical foramen. Ten teeth with 100-µm diameter were placed in individual jars containing 1% agar solution in phosphate-buffered saline, maintaining around 2/3 of their roots immersed in the solution to allow measurement with Root ZX (J. Morita, Japan) and NovApex (Forum, Israel). Teeth were measured with files n. 10 until the distance of 0.5mm from the apex was indicated by the device. Another measurement was performed on the other thirty teeth with files n. 10 and files with diameters corresponding to the foramen diameters (200µm, 300µm and 400µm). Statistical analysis was performed by two-way analysis of variance for overall comparison between the devices and employment of file n. 10 in all teeth, and Tukey test for individual comparisons. The results demonstrated statistical difference in the precision of both devices, with a more accurate result for Root ZX (p<0.05). Teeth with narrower foramina presented a more accurate measurement with the apical measuring device, and teeth with wider foramina presented larger discrepancy in the measurement. Utilization of K file n. 10 in teeth with wider foramina showed more accurate measurements compared to files with size corresponding to the foramen diameters with the Root ZX® device. With the NovApex® device, this correlation was only observed with file n. 40.

Este estudo objetivou avaliar a influência do diâmetro do forame e do instrumento endodôntico na leitura odontométrica de dois aparelhos localizadores apicais eletrônicos. Foram utilizados 40 dentes incisivos inferiores, divididos em 4 grupos, de acordo com o diâmetro do forame apical (100, 200, 300 e 400 µm). Após a abertura coronária desses dentes e o acesso aos canais radiculares, realizou-se a medição do comprimento dos mesmos com auxílio de um microscópio clínico com ampliação de 7,8X, da incisal até que a ponta da lima surgisse no forame apical. Os dentes foram colocados em potes individuais contendo solução de ágar a 1% em solução salina de fosfato tamponado, mantendo-se cerca de 2/3 de suas raízes imersas na solução para que pudesse ser feita a leitura com o Root ZX® (J.Morita, Japão) e o NovApex® (Fórum, Israel). Os mesmos foram medidos com limas nº10 até que a distância de 0,5 mm do ápice fosse acusada no display dos aparelhos. Uma outra medida foi realizada nos dentes utilizando-se lima nº10 e limas com diâmetros correspondentes ao diâmetro dos forames (200µm, 300µm e 400µm). Para a análise estatística foi empregado o teste de Análise de Variância a dois critérios para o confronto global entre os aparelhos e o emprego da lima nº10 em todos os dentes e teste de Tukey para as comparações individuais. Os resultados demonstraram diferença estatística na precisão dos dois aparelhos com um resultado mais preciso para o Root ZX® (p<0,05). Dentes com forame, de menor diâmetro, apresentaram uma medida mais precisa com o localizador apical e dentes com forame de maior diâmetro apresentaram uma maior discrepância na medida. O emprego de limas tipo K nº10 nos dentes com forames de diâmetros maiores apresentaram maior precisão na medição quando comparadas às limas coincidentes aos diâmetros dos forames para o aparelho Root ZX®. Para o NovApex® esta correlação só passou a ocorrer a partir da lima nº40. / This study evaluated the influence of foramen diameter and endodontic instrument size on the odontometry reading of two electronic apical measuring devices. Forty mandibular incisors were used, which were divided into four groups according to the apical foramen diameter (100, 200, 300 and 400µm). After coronal opening of these teeth and access to the root canals, the root canal length was measured with aid of a clinical microscope with 7.8x magnification, from the incisal edge until the file tip reached the apical foramen. Ten teeth with 100-µm diameter were placed in individual jars containing 1% agar solution in phosphate-buffered saline, maintaining around 2/3 of their roots immersed in the solution to allow measurement with Root ZX (J. Morita, Japan) and NovApex (Forum, Israel). Teeth were measured with files n. 10 until the distance of 0.5mm from the apex was indicated by the device. Another measurement was performed on the other thirty teeth with files n. 10 and files with diameters corresponding to the foramen diameters (200µm, 300µm and 400µm). Statistical analysis was performed by two-way analysis of variance for overall comparison between the devices and employment of file n. 10 in all teeth, and Tukey test for individual comparisons. The results demonstrated statistical difference in the precision of both devices, with a more accurate result for Root ZX (p<0.05). Teeth with narrower foramina presented a more accurate measurement with the apical measuring device, and teeth with wider foramina presented larger discrepancy in the measurement. Utilization of K file n. 10 in teeth with wider foramina showed more accurate measurements compared to files with size corresponding to the foramen diameters with the Root ZX® device. With the NovApex® device, this correlation was only observed with file n. 40.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Introduction: One of the challenges of non-surgical root canal treatment (NSRCT) is determining the working length of the canal which indicates the exact end point of root canal preparation and obturation. The development of the Electronic Apex Locator (EAL) has helped the clinician to determine the location of the apical foramen, and hence the working length, when performing NSRCT. Objective: The objective of this in vitro study was to determine the accuracy of a new EAL, the E-PEX (Changzhou Eighteeth Medical Technology Co., China), and compare it to a commonly used EAL, the Root ZX II (J. Morita Corp, Kyoto, Japan), for determining the location of the apical foramen. Materials and Methods: Twenty extracted single rooted teeth were used in this study. The crowns were removed and the distance from a coronal reference point to the apical foramen was measured utilizing a k-file and direct visualization under magnification. Teeth were then mounted in alginate and measurements for the apical foramen were made using the Root ZX II and the E-PEX. The difference between the actual canal length and the electronic length was then calculated and compared. Results: The mean true difference was -0.20, and -0.19 for the E-PEX and Root ZX II respectively. The mean absolute difference was 0.28, and 0.26 for the E-PEX and Root ZX II respectively. Paired t-tests done separately for true differences (p = 0.45) and absolute differences (p = 0.21) showed no significant difference among EALs. The percentage of measurements falling within 0.5 mm of the actual canal lengths for each EAL were 95% and 90% for the E-PEX and Root ZX II respectively. McNemar’s test was used to compare between the two test methods for the percentage within 0.5 mm and revealed no significant difference (p = 0.32). Conclusion: The Root ZX II had an average measurement that was slightly closer to the actual length of the canal when compared to the E-PEX, while the E-PEX had a higher percentage of measurement within 0.5 mm of the apical foramen. However, these differences were not statistically significant.