Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2025
05:49
Author Spotlight: Advancing CBCT and Digital Dental Image Integration with AI-Assisted Digitization
Published on: February 23, 2024
784
Vertical root fracture detection with cone-beam computed tomography in Biodentine™ filled teeth
Jakob W G Van Acker1, Charlotte Yvergneaux2, Wolfgang Jacquet3,4
1ELOHA (Equal Lifelong Oral Health for All) research group, Paediatric Dentistry, Oral Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Jakob.VanAcker@UGent.be.
BMC Oral Health
|October 4, 2024
Summary
Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) did not improve accuracy over periapical radiographs for detecting vertical root fractures in Biodentine™-filled or unfilled teeth. Current CBCT technology faces challenges in identifying small fractures.
Area of Science:
- Endodontics and Dental Imaging
- Diagnostic Accuracy in Dentistry
Background:
- Vertical root fractures (VRFs) pose a diagnostic challenge in endodontically treated teeth.
- Biodentine™ is a bioactive cement used in root canal treatments, potentially affecting fracture detection.
- Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is increasingly used for dental diagnostics, but its efficacy for VRF detection requires evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy of Promax 3Dmax CBCT with periapical radiography in detecting VRFs in Biodentine™-filled and non-root-filled maxillary incisors.
- To assess if reduced field of view and lower intensity settings on CBCT improve VRF detection.
- To test hypotheses regarding CBCT's diagnostic superiority for VRFs in specific clinical scenarios.
Main Methods:
- Extracted maxillary incisors were prepared, some filled with Biodentine™, and subjected to simulated clinical conditions.
- Teeth were imaged using periapical radiographs and Promax 3Dmax CBCT under various settings.
- Microcomputed tomography was used for fracture benchmarking; multiple observers evaluated images for diagnostic performance.
Main Results:
- All imaging modalities showed poor overall accuracy, with Area Under the Curve scores below 0.6.
- Sensitivities for VRF detection were consistently low across all methods.
- No significant difference in diagnostic accuracy was found between CBCT and periapical radiography for detecting VRFs in either group.
Conclusions:
- The Promax 3Dmax CBCT unit offers no significant accuracy advantage over periapical radiographs for detecting small VRFs in Biodentine™-filled or unfilled maxillary incisors.
- Altering CBCT settings (smaller field of view, lower intensity) did not enhance detection accuracy.
- Accurate detection of small VRFs remains challenging, highlighting the need for improved imaging technologies and further research.
