RADIOVISIOGRAPHY VERSUS CONVENTIONAL RADIOGRAPHY FOR DETECTION OF SMALL INSTRUMENTS IN ENDODONTIC LENGTH DETERMINATION .2. IN-VIVO EVALUATION

Radiovisiography was compared clinically to conventional D-speed and E -speed radiographs viewed with x2 magnification using the mesiobuccal root of maxillary molars of 22 patients. Clarity of size 8 and 10 endo dontic file tips in relation to the radiographic apex was the object o f comparison. Five images of radiovisiography, (original, enhanced, ne gative-to-positive, standard zoom, and zoom in the negative-to-positiv e mode), were compared to D-speed and E-speed radiographs. D-speed rad iographs were also compared to E-speed radiographs. D-speed radiograph s were statistically superior to all five radiovisiography images. Fou r of the radiovisiography images were equivalent to E-speed radiograph s. D-speed radiographs provided superior recognition of small file tip s when compared to E-speed radiographs 100% of the time. Accurate iden tification of the small file tips was achieved on 95% of D-speed and 7 0% of E-speed radiographs. With radiovisiography, identification was a chieved on 95% of the zoom images in the negative-to-positive mode, 86 % of enhanced, 82% of standard zoom, and 77% of the images in negative -to-positive conversion.