ACCURACY OF DIFFERENT ELECTRONIC APEX LOCATORS IN LOCATING ROOT PERFORATIONS IN CURVED CANALS UNDER DRY AND WET CONDITIONS: A COMPARATIVE IN VITRO STUDY

C. Sunil Kumar, Chittuluri Harika, *Kandimalla Susrutha, Vamsee Krishna Nallagatla, S. Sunil Kumar, K. S. Chandra Babu

ABSTRACT

Aim: Aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of electronic apex locators in detecting the simulated root perforations in curved canals both in dry and in the presence of 3% sodium hypochlorite (Wet). Materials AND Methodology: Thirty mandibular molars with curved mesial roots were selected and perforation was simulated in the danger zone 4 mm from the furcation area. The actual length where the perforation site was created was measured by visual method using a #15 K file and data were recorded, following which teeth were embedded in alginate moulds. The perforation site was electronically measured using three apex locators: E-pex, DentaPort Root ZX (J-Morita), CanalPro (Coltene) in dry condition and in the presence of 3% NaOCl. The values obtained were compared with values obtained by visual method and analysed. Results: In the present study, DentaPort Root ZX showed more accurate values between electronic location of perforation (ELP) and actual location of perforation (ALP)(P=0.1) in both dry and wet conditions. There were no significant differences in the readings of ALP and ELP in different canal conditions when each group is compared to other two groups. Conclusion: In dry & wet conditions, DentaPort Root ZX group showed better results than E-pex & CanalPro in determining the length of the root perforation. In wet conditions, in the presence of 3% NaOCl, all the apex locators showed a significant difference from the manual value in detecting the root perforation.

Keywords: The values obtained were compared with values obtained by visual method and analysed.