ESTIMATION OF REMAINING DENTIN THICKNESS UNDER DENTIN CARIES WITH CBCT, RADIOGRAPHS AND DIGITAL CALIPER IN PERMANENT TEETH - AN INVITRO STUDY

Abstract

Background: In order to avoid damaging the dental pulp from mechanical injury and inammatory agents, operators are recommended to remove just infected dentin while maintaining affected and sound dentin. As a result, maximum dentin tissue must be preserved. This study aims to identify a logistic and accurate link between the amounts of actual remaining dentine thickness and the radiographic remaining dentine thickness before starting caries excavation, thereby lowering the incidences of post-operative sensitivity and direct pulpal exposure. In a three-stage experiment, 24 extracted human teeth were Material and Methodology: evaluated using three different techniques: digital radiography(RVG), cone beam computed tomography(CBCT), and using digital caliper after hand excavation of any remaining caries. The results were compared and statistical analysis was performed for each tooth. The difference among the Statistical analysis: groups was analyzed by post hoc Turkey and analysis of variance tests. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically signicant. The results Results: indicated no signicant difference between actual clinical (digital caliper) and CBCT measurements (P=0.054) but a signicant difference was found between actual clinical and periapical radiographs. It is imprecise to Conclusion: estimate the remaining dentine thickness using routine periapical radiographs; a reliable and affordable method still has to be developed.