The evaluation of marginal gap with and without optical aids: clinicians versus technicians
The International Journal of Prosthodontics
|March 6, 2014
Abstract
Purpose:
This study investigated the reliability of visual assessment of marginal gaps in relation to the use of magnification and the operator's profession.
Materials And Methods:
A titanium bar was notched, simulating 40 marginal gaps, and 35 operators performed a quantitative evaluation of the incisions.
Results:
Visual examination was neither sensitive nor specific, as an extreme variability of data was recorded. The precision of readers improved with magnification aids only for clinicians; technicians were significantly more accurate in evaluating the incision's width.
Conclusion:
The visual examinations were inadequate to decide the clinical acceptability of a restoration with regard to its marginal fit.
