Periapical radiography and cone beam computed tomography for assessment of the periapical bone defect 1 week and 12 months after root-end resection

Objectives: Our aim was to compare periapical radiography and cone beam CT (CBCT) for assessment of the periapical bone defect 1 week and 12 months after root-end resection. Methods: 50 patients (58 teeth) with a persisting apical periodontitis in a root-filled tooth (incisor, canine or premolar) were treated with root-end resection. 1 week and 12 months post-operatively, a CBCT scan (NewTom (R) 3G) and a periapical radiograph (Digora) were obtained. Three observers detected and measured the periapical bone defects on periapical radiographs and CBCT images (coronal and sagittal sections). Results: 1 week post-operatively, a periapical bone defect area was measured in all teeth by all observers. The defect was 10% smaller on periapical radiographs (mean = 12.4 mm(2), SD = 8.2) than on the CBCT images measured in the coronal plane (mean = 13.0 mill 2, SD = 7.8), a difference which was not statistically significant (P = 0.58). 12 months post-operatively (n = 52), there was considerable variation between the observers' detection of a remaining defect on the periapical radiographs and the CBCT images. The average agreement between the periapical radiograph and the CBCT images in the coronal sections was 67%, and more defects were detected on CBCT than on periapical radiographs. Conclusions: On average, the periapical bone defect measured on periapical radiographs was approximately 10% smaller than on coronally sectioned CBCT images 1 week post-operatively. More remaining defects were detected 1 year after periapical Surgery on CBCT images than on periapical radiographs, but it IS uncertain how this information is related to success or failure after root-end resection. Dentomaxillofacial Radiology (2009) 38, 53 1-536. doi: 10.1259/dmfr/63019695