Radiographic evaluation of in vitro palatal and buccal root lesions

Introduction: Pathologic dental processes can be manifested in progressive loss of root surface due to mechanical, chemical and biological actions. In early phase of these disorders clinical symptoms and signs are usually not associated to external root resorptions, therefore the diagnosis is usually based on the radiologic findings. Although two dimensional radiographic techniques are very useful tools in the diagnostic process, studies have detected significant limitations in the differentiation when lesions are located on the oral and vestibular sides of the roots.
Aim of Study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of digital image analysis in radiographic differentiation between artificially prepared vestibular and oral root lesions.
Methods and Materials: Ten previously non-restored single rooted human teeth were selected to the study. All of the teeth were single-rooted teeth. Roots were prepared as two different cuts were placed at cervical third and apical third on the vestibular side; a single cut were placed at middle third on oral side. Digital radiographs were taken of all samples at 90° vertical and 0° horizontal angles. The x-ray images were evaluated with image analysing software, Image J. Data were analysed using statistical tests.
Results: Density data between the vestibular and oral cuts were statistically different and the numbers were not significant relative to the location of the cut and the direction of the taken image.
Conclusions: In this preliminary study statistically significant differences were not observed to detect the artificially induced vestibular and oral root lesions by image analysing technique in digital radiographic images. Further work is recommended in larger and more homogeneous samples to obtain clear correlation between the locations of lesions and their 2D image manifestations.