Using acrylic customized X-ray positioning stents for long-term follow-up studies

Area of Science:

• Dental Radiology
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Long-term assessment of dental restorations and implants is crucial for evaluating treatment outcomes.
• Accurate and reproducible radiographic imaging is essential for longitudinal studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of customized X-ray positioning stents for long-term dental follow-up.
• To compare the reliability of custom stents versus conventional film holders in radiographic measurements.

Main Methods:

• Two types of acrylic stents were fabricated: a custom stent with a bite piece and a conventional film holder.
• Radiographs were taken for 20 patients at baseline and 3 months using both devices.
• Linear measurements (CEJ width, CEJ-apex height) were performed to assess reproducibility and accuracy.

Main Results:

• The custom X-ray positioning stent demonstrated precise and reliable linear measurements, yielding reproducible images.
• Conventional acrylic film holders resulted in significant measurement differences, indicating unreliable imaging.

Conclusions:

• Customized X-ray positioning stents are suitable for long-term follow-up studies requiring reliable linear measurements and reproducible images.
• The custom stent design enhances diagnostic accuracy in longitudinal dental assessments.