[Roentgenological study of the form of pulp cavities on upper central incisors]

The purpose of this study is to estimate the form of pulp cavities of upper central incisors using roentgenograms. Materials were fifty extracted upper central incisors. First, roentgenograms of these materials were taken from labio-lingual and mesio-distal directions. Then ten dentists read and traced the form of pulp cavities as shown by the roentgenograms, after which the percentage of readability was determined. Furthermore, the incisors were then cut in order to trace the actual form of pulp cavities and these tracings were compared with those made by the dentists as based on the roentgenograms. It was shown by this study that the tracings of pulp chamber at the dental cervix based on the roentgenograms taken from the labio-lingual direction and the tracings at the horn of pulp chamber based on the roentgenograms taken from the mesio-distal direction closely approximated the tracings of the cut materials. It was also found that readability of these points was 100% for all ten dentists. Based on these results, the two above mentioned points were designated as the datum points to be used when estimating the form of pulp cavities. Furthermore, the form of pulp cavities of the cut teeth was considered in order to determine the angle of the mesial and distal projection of the horn of pulp chamber against the datum plane of the dental cervix. In the above manner, a possible method of estimating the form of pulp cavities of upper central incisors using two roentgenograms was investigated.