Volume 24, Issue 101, January - February, 2020

The effect of sharpness and contrast processing filter on the measurement accuracy of endodontic file length

Sanaz Sharifi Shooshtari¹, Mahshid Razavi², Razie Moarrefpour³, Zohre Roozbahani^4♦

¹Assistant professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
²Assistant professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
³Dental Student, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
⁴Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology post graduate student, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

^♦Corresponding author
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology post graduate student, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

ABSTRACT

Background and Objective: Precise determination of working length can be effective alternative for optimizing endodontic treatment. There are several methods for determining working length, including digital radiography. Image processing filters can improve diagnostic accuracy of digital radiographs. The aim of present study was to compare the effect of sharpness and contrast inversion processing filters on the measurement accuracy of endodontic file length using indirect digital radiography (PSP). Materials and methods: In the present in vitro study a total of 36 permanent single rooted premolar teeth were selected for the study. Endodontic access cavity was prepared and #15 K-file was inserted into the canal for measurement the actual size as gold standard. The samples were mounted on resin acrylic blocks. Indirect digital radiographic images (PSP) were obtained using parallel technique. The radiographs were processed with sharpen filters and contrast inversion filters using scanora software program version 5.1. Original images without filtration, images processed with sharpen filters, and contrast inversion filters were observed by two blinded observers and the results were compared by golden standard. Data were analyzed using Friedman test, Dunnett's test, SPSS version 23. Results: The difference among original images without filtration, sharpen filters, and contrast inversion filters were significant (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between each group of pictures and actual size. Sharpness filters showed less realistic mean value of working length compared to original images without filtration and contrast inversion filters. Conclusion: Sharpening filters did not influence the accuracy of endodontic file length and is not preferred for measurement of endodontic file length. Contrast inversion filters have relative priority compared to original images without filtration, but the difference wasn’t statistically significant. There were no statistical significant differences between each group of images and the reality.

Keywords: Root canal, Image processing, indirect digital radiography, Contrast inversion filter, Sharpness filter

Medical Science, 2020, 24(101), 215-222

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