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.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the Wirele-X (Forum Tec, Ashkelon, Israel), a new Bluetooth-enabled electronic apex locator (EAL). The accuracy of the Wirele-X and the Root ZX II (J. Morita, Tokyo, Japan) was compared in vitro using an alginate model. Materials/Methods: Thirty-one extracted single-rooted human teeth with mature apices were decoronated at the CEJ. Under 10X magnification, actual canal lengths (ACL) were determined. The teeth were embedded in alginate and electronic canal length measurements were obtained using the Root ZX II and Wirele-X EALs. Each tooth was measured three times with both EALs. A blinded examiner measured each file with a digital micrometer to the nearest 0.01 mm. Differences between ACLs and the average measurements from the EALs were compared with Student's t test for related samples. Results: The average distance from the file tip to the apical foramen (AF) was -0.11 mm (±0.16) and -0.07 mm (±0.21) for the Root ZX II and Wirele-X systems, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the two apex locators in their ability to locate the AF (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Both the Wirele-X and the Root ZX II provided a high level of accuracy and reliability in locating the AF.

The aims of this study were to determine the efficacy of the KontrolFlexTM AccufileTM compared to the READY•STEEL™ Flexofile® using an electronic apex locator and to evaluate the instrument’s design via scanning electron microscopy. Actual canal lengths of thirty extracted teeth were determined under magnification. An alginate model was used to determine experimental canal lengths with the Root ZX II apex locator and size #10 Accufiles and Flexofiles. Differences between actual lengths and experimental lengths were compared with Student’s t test. The average experimental lengths were short of the actual length by -0.10 mm (±0.34) and -0.12 mm (±0.16) for the Accufile and Flexofile, respectively with no statistical difference (p > 0.05). SEM images revealed similar non-cutting “batt” tips and a square cross-section for the Accufile and triangular for the Flexofile. Both files provided similarly high levels of reliability when used with the Root ZX II electronic apex locator.

Syfte: Att granska hur väl indikatorbilden och rotfyllningsbilden överensstämmer utifrån mätningar med elektronisk apexlokalisator. Dessutom granskas om rotfyllningskvalitet är beroende av tandtyp och antal besök samt om det förekommer någon skillnad på behandlingsproceduren före eller under COVID-19 pandemin. Vidare granskas tecken på läkning i de fall där läkningsbild finns.  Material och metod: Totalt har 635 patienter fått endodontisk behandling på studentklinik för endodonti på Malmö Tandvårdshögskola under perioden 2016–2021. Av dessa uppfyllde 350 journaler inklusionskriterierna. Journaldata tillsammans med röntgenbilder granskades av två oberoende observatörer. Resultat: Av 350 tänder överensstämde 262 tänders indikatorbild och rotfyllningsbild med EAL-mätningar. Underkäksmolarer till följd av överkäksmolarer och överkäkpresmolarer som hade inadekvat rotfyllningskvalitet.  Cirka 70% av tänderna som behandlades färdigt krävde mellan 2–6 besök. Tecken på läkning kunde observeras hos 78 patienter (ca. 92 %) som följts med klinisk undersökning och läkningsbilder. Inga märkbara skillnader noterades i behandlingsproceduren före eller under Covid-19 pandemin. Slutsats: Rotfyllningarna uppvisade god kvalitet baserat på kliniskt och röntgenologiskt underlag. Studenterna behöver relativt många besök för att genomföra en endodontisk behandling. Behandlingen resulterar ofta i en rotfyllning som bedöms ha god kvalitet och så många fall läker. Det behövs ges tydligare rekommendationer till studenter gällande bestämning av arbetslängden och information om att EAL är mer pålitlig att fastställa arbetslängd. / Aim: To evaluate how well the working length radiograph and obturation radiograph corresponded with the working length (WL) measured initially by electronic apex locator (EAL). Furthermore, the aim of this study was to evaluate if the quality of root canal fillings was dependent on tooth type, number of dental visits and if there was any different in treatment procedure before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, signs of healing were evaluated if radiographs were available.  Material and method: Patient journal and intraoral radiographs of 635 patients who had undergone endodontic treatment by students at the Faculty of Odontology at University of Malmö during 2016–2021 were evaluated. A total number of 350 patients fulfilled the inclusion’s criteria. Patient’s journal and radiographs were reviewed by two independent observers.  Results: Of 350 teeth, in 262 teeth working length radiograph and obturation radiograph was consistent with the working length determined by EAL. Mandibular morals followed by maxillary molars and premolars were tooth types that failed to keep WL measured by EAL. Approximately 70% teeth were treated between 2-6 visits. In 84 cases radiographs were available and signs of healing were observed in 78 cases (approx. 92%). No significant differences were observed in treatment procedure before and under the Covid-19 pandemic.   Conclusion: The root canal fillings were of good quality based on clinical and radiographic evidence. Students need more time to carry out endodontic treatment but, in most cases, root canal fillings were of good quality and periapical healing was obtained. Furthermore, the students need clearer recommendations regarding determination of WL.