An Assessment of the Relationship between the Maxillary Sinus Floor and the Maxillary Posterior Teeth Root Tips Using Dental Cone-beam Computerized Tomography.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between the maxillary sinus floor and the maxillary posterior teeth root tips using dental cone-beam CT. METHODS: A total of 87 right and 89 left maxillary sinus regions from 92 patients were examined using dental cone-beam CT. Images were analyzed by a specialist in oral and maxillofacial radiology. Perpendicular lines were drawn on the cross-sectional images between the deepest point of the maxillary sinus floor and the root tips of the maxillary first and second premolars and first, second and third molars, and the distances were measured using built-in measurement tools. Means, standard deviations and minimum and maximum values were calculated for all right and left premolars and molars. T-tests were used to compare measurements between left and right sides and between female and male patients. RESULTS: The distance between sinus floor and root tip was longest for the first premolar root tip and shortest for the second molar buccodistal root tip for both right and left sides. No statistically significant differences were found between the right and left side measurements or between female and male patients (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the anatomical relationship between the maxillary sinus floor and the maxillary posterior teeth root tips is important for the preoperative treatment planning of maxillary posterior teeth.

Detection of vertical root fracture using cone-beam computerized tomography: an in vitro assessment.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare 2 cone-beam CT units [NewTom 3G (small FOV), Iluma (ultra/low resolution)] and an intraoral CCD sensor in the detection of vertical root fracture (VRF). STUDY DESIGN: The VRFs were created in 30 teeth, and 30 intact teeth served as control samples. All images were evaluated twice by 4 observers. Kappa coefficients were calculated to assess intra- and interobserver agreement, and t tests were used to compare Az values (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: Both intra- and interobserver agreement values were higher for the ultra-resolution Iluma and NewTom 3G images compared with the low-resolution Iluma and intraoral CCD images. Az values for the ultra-resolution Iluma and NewTom 3G images were also higher than for the Iluma low-resolution and intraoral CCD images. No significant differences (P > .05) in diagnostic accuracy were found between the Iluma ultra-resolution and NewTom 3G images, with the exception of the second reading of observer 2 (P = .036), and no significant differences (P > .05) were found between the intraoral digital and low-resolution Iluma images. CONCLUSION: Both ultra-resolution Iluma and NewTom 3G images performed better than low-resolution Iluma and intraoral CCD images in the detection of VRF.