Storage phosphor plates: how durable are they as a digital dental radiographic system?

The aim of this in vitro investigation was to evaluate the durability of storage phosphor plates (SPPs) as a digital dental imaging system and to detect the factors that may contribute to possible reduced durability. A total of 140 new SPPs were divided into groups and exposed to the effects of the various handling steps during the image acquisition. An additional group of plates joined the existing plates in the Radiology Clinic and tested the additive effect of all these factors plus the effect of positioning the plates in a patient's mouth. The images resulting from these SPPs were regularly evaluated for the appearance of scratches as a sign of wear and rated by an oral radiologist using a 6 point scale. Although the manufacturer claims the SPPs can be used indefinitely, we found 95% of our plates were rendered non-diagnostic after only 50 uses. The manufacturer's claim for indefinite use of the SPPs seems to be questionable.