Impact of intracanal post-material on vertical root fractures diagnosis: A high-resolution cone-beam computed tomography study

Aim: Root fractures depict a challenge to dentists, especially when they are oriented vertically. They can be responsible for an important percentage of extractions of endodontically treated teeth. The objective of this research was to compare the accuracy of vertical root fractures (VRF) diagnosis in teeth treated endodontically and with posts in root canals, using images acquired by three different cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanners and different acquisition protocols, a varying field of view (FOV), voxel size, kilovoltage (KVp), and milliamperes (mA). Materials and Methods: This study evaluated the diagnostic capacity of three different brands of CBCT devices. Overall, 240 images of single root teeth were included and they were divided into two groups: the test group in which teeth were artificially fractured, and the control group, without fractures. The CBCT images were assessed, reaching a consensus between three examiners. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression test were performed. Sensibility, specificity, and accuracy values also were obtained. Statistical significance was set at P 0.05. Results: Two studied scanners contributed 77.8% of diagnostic errors, and 61.1% of the errors were in the presence of metal in the root canal. There were no significant differences between the standard (STD) and high-definition (HD) protocols. Conclusion: The equipment brand and the condition of the tooth are important factors in the VRF assessment using CBCT.