COMPARISON OF RADIOGRAPHIC AND ELECTRONIC WORKING LENGTHS

The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of radiographic a nd electronic methods to determine reliably the location of the apical constriction, The working length of root canals in human cadaver teet h was determined by positioning an endodontic file at the apical termi nation point as indicated by an apex locator, These same teeth were ra diographed at various angles with the file in place, The radiographs w ere evaluated by five examiners to determine a radiographic terminatio n point for each canal, Teeth were extracted and examined histological ly to determine the ideal termination point, The deviations of the two experimental termination points from the ideal termination point were compared. The mean of the absolute value of the deviations from the a pical constriction for the apex locator was significantly less (p < 0. 05) than that for the radiographic method, Thus, the method using the apex locator was slightly more reliable.