Effect of Delayed Scanning and Scanning Resolution Using Photostimulable Phosphor Plates on Detection of Vertical Root Fracture: In Vitro Study

Abstract

Objective: Detecting vertical root fractures (VRFs) can be challenging in dentistry due to their subtle and often concealed na- ture. This study aimed to assess the impact of varying resolutions and delayed scanning times of photostimulable phosphor plates on the di- agnosis of VRFs. Can different resolutions and/or delayed scan times enhance the diagnosis of VRFs?Material and Methods: In this in vitro study, forty extracted single-rooted premolar teeth were utilized. The crowns of all teeth were removed, and root canals were prepared. The teeth were divided into 2 groups: 20 study teeth with VRFs and 20 teeth without VRFs. VRFs were created using an Instron machine. All tooth roots were positioned in the premolar region of a dry human mandible and fixed with wax. Subsequently, periapical radiographs were taken using a parallel technique. Radiographs were scanned at 4 different times post-exposure: immediately, 30 minutes later, 2 hours later, and 4 hours later, and at three different resolutions: high speed, high reso- lution, and super high resolution. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS statistics 26.0. Results: Intra- and interobserver agreement exhibited substantial to almost perfect ranges of agreement. Statistically significant differences were not observed in the diagnosis of VRFs when comparing different resolutions and scanning times. Conclusion: Varying resolutions and/or delayed scan times did not im- prove the diagnosis of VRFs. In clinical practice, a comprehensive de- tection of VRFs might necessitate a combination of different imaging techniques, immediately scanning, optimizing resolution settings, and clinical assessment.