In Vivo Evaluation of The Accuracy of Four Electronic Apex Locators

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the clinical accuracy of four models of electronic Canal Length Measuring Devicesd (ECLMD’s) by comparing the electronic canal lengths (ECL) determined by each of these devices to the apical foramen, and the real canal length’s (RCL’s) where the file tip just visible of the foramen after extraction, in both vital and cecrotic canals. Informed consent was optained from (23) patients waiting  to have (30) teeth extracted because of periodontal or prosthatic reasons. Teeth were anesthetized , isolated and accessed, the pulp was considered vital if bleeding was present in the pulp champer, whether considered necrotic if no bleeding  presented . Pulpectomy performed, then (64) canals irrigated by normal  saline (0.9%) and (ECL’s) obtained by each device, whether (RCL’s) obtained several days after extraction.

Clinically significant (ECL’s) of (±1.5),, than visual length were noted with the 4^th device (Neosono ultima EZ) that was (89.09%) accurate. The 1^st device (Root ZX) and the 2^nd (Diagnostic) were (96.8%) Accurate to within (-0.5) mm of the apical foramen, whether accuracy of the (Apex Finder) (3^rd) was (95.3%) to within (±0.5)mm.

Using ANOVA test, there was significant difference between  the ability of all devices to determine the apical foramen in  vital canals, versus necrotic canals, and the devices were more accurate in vital canals.