In vitro evaluation of the consistency of two electronic apex locators

Article information

Restor Dent Endod. 2008;33(1):20-27

Publication date (electronic) : 2008 January 31

doi : https://doi.org/10.5395/JKACD.2008.33.1.020

Gyu-Young Hwang , Byoung-Duck Roh , Eui-Sung Kim , Seung-Jong Lee

Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Yonsei University, Korea.

Corresponding Author: Seung-Jong Lee. Department of Conservative Dentistry, Yonsei University, School of Dentistry, 134 Shinchon-Dong, Sudaemun-Ku, Seoul, 120-752, Korea. Tel: 82-2-2228-8700, Fax: 82-2-313-7575, sjlee@yuhs.ac

Received 2007 October 26; Revised 2007 December 01; Accepted 2007 December 26.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the consistency of two electronic apex locators in vitro model.

Materials consisted of fifty two extracted premolars and two electronic apex locators; Root ZX (J. Morita, Osaka, Japan) and E-Magic Finder Deluxe (S-Denti, Cheonan, Korea). After access preparation, the teeth were embedded in a saline-mixed alginate model. Canal lengths of each tooth were measured at "0.5" and "Apex" mark of the apex locators, respectively so that each tooth had two measurements from 0.5 and Apex points. The file was fixed at final measurement using a glass ionomer cement. The apical 4 mm from the apex was exposed to measure the distance from the file tip to the major apical foramen of each tooth. Average distances and standard deviations were used to evaluate the consistency.

Results showed that all measurements of both Root ZX and E-Magic Finder located the major foramen the range of ± 0.5 mm level. Both apex locators showed better consistency at Apex mark than at 0.5 mark. The average distance of file tip-major foramen was - 0.18 mm at 0.5 mark and - 0.07 mm at Apex mark in Root ZX, - 0.25 mm at 0.5 mark and - 0.02 mm at Apex mark in E-Magic Finder. Standard deviation was 0.21 at 0.5 mark and 0.12 at Apex mark in Root ZX, 0.12 at 0.5 mark and 0.09 at Apex mark in E-Magic Finder.

Keywords: Alginate model; apical constriction; consistency; electronic apex locator; major foramen

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