Masahiro Iikubo1, Takashi Osano2, Tsukasa Sano3, Akitoshi Katsumata4, Eiichiro Ariji5, Kaoru Kobayashi6, Takashi Sasano7, Mamoru Wakoh8, Kenji Seki9, Ikuho Kojima10, Maya Sakamoto11. 1. Associate Professor, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan. Electronic address: Machapy@dent.tohoku.ac.jp. 2. Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and Diagnosis, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, Yokohama, Japan. 3. Professor, Division of Radiology, Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Showa University School of Dentistry, Tokyo, Japan. 4. Professor, Department of Oral Radiology, Asahi University School of Dentistry, Mizuho, Japan. 5. Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Aichi-Gakuin University School of Dentistry, Nagoya, Japan. 6. Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and Diagnosis, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, Yokohama, Japan. 7. Professor, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan. 8. Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Tokyo Dental College, Tokyo, Japan. 9. Associate Professor, Division of Radiology, Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Showa University School of Dentistry, Tokyo, Japan. 10. Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan. 11. Associate Professor, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To clarify the cause of artificial tooth-root fracture lines in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images caused by root canal filling materials and to enhance the diagnostic performance of CBCT. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed the CBCT images of 18 extracted human teeth (9 upper central incisors and 9 lower premolars) that were filled with a size 50 gutta-percha cone and inserted into tooth sockets in a human skull. RESULTS: The CBCT images of the incisors displayed artificial lines in the oblique directions, notably the mesiobuccal, distolingual, distobuccal and mesiolingual directions, but only rarely in the cross-directions (buccal, lingual, mesial, and distal). In the premolars, the reverse was true, with lines mainly in the cross-directions, mesial and distal directions particularly. The lines were predominantly at the cervical slice. CONCLUSIONS: Artifacts resulting from root filling material appear along the long axis of the alveolar bones, and resemble root fractures.
OBJECTIVE: To clarify the cause of artificial tooth-root fracture lines in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images caused by root canal filling materials and to enhance the diagnostic performance of CBCT. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed the CBCT images of 18 extracted human teeth (9 upper central incisors and 9 lower premolars) that were filled with a size 50 gutta-percha cone and inserted into tooth sockets in a human skull. RESULTS: The CBCT images of the incisors displayed artificial lines in the oblique directions, notably the mesiobuccal, distolingual, distobuccal and mesiolingual directions, but only rarely in the cross-directions (buccal, lingual, mesial, and distal). In the premolars, the reverse was true, with lines mainly in the cross-directions, mesial and distal directions particularly. The lines were predominantly at the cervical slice. CONCLUSIONS: Artifacts resulting from root filling material appear along the long axis of the alveolar bones, and resemble root fractures.