• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.474-482
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• 2000

Currently frequency-dependent type electronic apex locators have been widely used to determine the working length in endodontic treatment. But, accuracy of electronic apex locators is controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Root-ZX(Morita Co., Japan) at different kinds of conditions of root canals compared with the radiographic working length. The 40 extracted human anterior teeth with fully formed apices and without any caries were used. The radiographs were taken for working length with the 0.5mm short of #15 K-file tip just visible at the foramen under the surgical microscope(Carl Zeiss Co. Germany) at 25X. Then the electronic working lengths were determined with Root-ZX at the different kinds of conditions of root canals according to the presence of electrolyte and Crown-down pressureless technique. The results were as follows ; 1. There was no significant statistical difference in working length between radiograph and Root-ZX. 2. There was no significant statistical difference in electronic working length between the canal with electrolyte and without electrolyte. 3. There was no significant statistical difference in electronic working length between the canal without any instrumentation and after Crown-dow pressureless technique. 4. Of the total 40 root canals, 85% in Group I, 92.5% in Group II, 95% in Group III and 95% in Group IV using Root-ZX showed coincidence within 0.5mm accuracy compaing with the radiographic working length. The results showed that the Root-ZX can be use effectively for measuring the working length of root canal after instrumentation with Crown-down pressureless technique regardless of the presence of electrolyte in root canal.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Root ZX and Sybron Mini in determining the working length using 2.5% Sodium Hypochlorite, 2% Chlorhexidine gel and saline. Donnelly's gelatin technique was used for measuring twenty extracted human teeth. Electronic working length was measured at the display 0.5 and 0.0 level of each electronic apex locator using a digital caliper to the nearest 0.01 mm. Each measurement was repeated for each different irrigants. Accuracy of Sybron Mini was not significantly different from the Root ZX in the three different irrigants, and there was no significant difference in the accuracy of electronic apex locators among the irrigants when used as recommended by manufacturer (measuring electronic working length at 0.0 level of Sybron Mini and at 0.5 level of Root ZX).

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.453-460
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• 2010

Objectives: To evaluate the accuracy and consistency of two different apex locators at both the Apex and 0.5 marks. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six root canals was scheduled for extraction for periodontal or prosthodontic reasons. Thirteen canals were measured using Root ZX and the rest by i-ROOT. The root canal length was measured both the at 0.5 mark and the Apex mark. The file was then fixed to the toot, and the distance from the file tip to the major foramen of each canal was measured after removing the root dentin under the microscope so that the major foramen and the file tip were seen. Results: 1. When the Apex mark was used, 100% of both the Root ZX and i-ROOT groups were within 0.5 mm of the major foramen. 2. When 0.5 mark was used, 100% of the Root ZX group and 77% of the i-ROOT group were within 0.5 mm of the major foramen. 3. In terms of standard deviation and quartile value, the Apex mark was more consistent than 0.5 mark in the Root ZX group, and 0.5 mark was more consistent in the i-ROOT group, but there was no statistically significant difference when compared with t-test. 4. The root canal length difference between the Apex mark and 0.5 mark was 0.22 mm and 0.46 mm in the Root ZX and i-ROOT groups, respectively. Conclusions: In this study, the Apex mark was the more consistent mark. Therefore, it is recommended to subtract 0.5 mm, which is the average length between the apex and apical constriction, from the root canal length at the Apex mark to obtain the working length clinically.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 2015

Objectives: The aim of this paper was evaluating the ratios of electrical impedance measurements reported in previous studies through a correlation analysis in order to explicit it as the contributing factor to the accuracy of electronic apex locator (EAL). Materials and Methods: The literature regarding electrical property measurements of EALs was screened using Medline and Embase. All data acquired were plotted to identify correlations between impedance and log-scaled frequency. The accuracy of the impedance ratio method used to detect the apical constriction (APC) in most EALs was evaluated using linear ramp function fitting. Changes of impedance ratios for various frequencies were evaluated for a variety of file positions. Results: Among the ten papers selected in the search process, the first-order equations between log-scaled frequency and impedance were in the negative direction. When the model for the ratios was assumed to be a linear ramp function, the ratio values decreased if the file went deeper and the average ratio values of the left and right horizontal zones were significantly different in 8 out of 9 studies. The APC was located within the interval of linear relation between the left and right horizontal zones of the linear ramp model. Conclusions: Using the ratio method, the APC was located within a linear interval. Therefore, using the impedance ratio between electrical impedance measurements at different frequencies was a robust method for detection of the APC.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.595-602
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• 1998

Among the apex locators, the frequency dependent type is more accurate and convenient to use than others, But the accuracy of the apex locator is still influenced by the presence of various electrolytes used in root canal treatments. In this study, we have developed a frequency dependent electronic apex locator minimizing the influence of the electrolytes on the measurement of root canal lengths. It was also confirmed that two frequencies of 500Hz and 100kHz are optimal for the measuring impedance compare with commercial product used(400Hz and 8kHz)a and there were no differences in accuracy among the three different types of the waveforms; sinusoidal, triangular, and rectangular waves(p>0.05). Impedance ratio of the two different frequencies represents the position of the file in root canal, and the voltage difference of two signals represents the status of the fluid in the root canal. As a result of compensation using the voltage differences, the errors were decreased on the average from +0.54mm to +0.18mm in $H_2O_2$ solution (p<0.01), and from -0.33mm to -0.01mm in NaOCl solution(p<0.01). The accuracies based on ${\pm}$0.5mm, in $H_2O_2$ and NaOCl solutions were improved with the automatic compensation from 71.1% and 91.1% to 82.2% and 100% respectively.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.628-632
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• 1999

Currently electronic apex locators have been widely used to determine working length in endodontic treatment. According to Manufacture's recommendation, it is beneficial to find the working length before instrumenting the canal. However, in crown-down pressureless technique, working length of tooth is established following coronal instrumentation 3mm short of radiographic apex. In narrow canals, mechanically formed constriction might be established by coronal instrumentation in some distance from anatomical constriction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Root-ZX in the canal with mechanical constriction following considerable coronal enlargement with ProFile .06 series. The 40 root canals in 30 extracted mandibular molars were accessed, and their actual length (AL) established by passing a size 10 file just through the minor apical foramen. The teeth were then embedded in an acrylic container with normal saline. The initial canal length(IL) was measured with Root-ZX by negotiating a size 10 file to the apical constriction. The canal was sequentially enlarged to size 40 with ProFile .06 file 3mm short of actual length. The enlarged final canal lengths (FL) were obtained with a size 15 file. The average values of IL, FL were calculated and compared using Repeated measures Analysis of Variance followed Turkey's Studentized Range test. The results were obtained as follows: 1. The initial canal length was 0.12mm shorter than actual canal length(P>0.05). 2. The differences between initial canal length and final canal length were not significant(P>0.05). 3. As a result of this study, regardless of mechanically formed constriction. Root-ZX differentiated between mechanical and anatomic constriction.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.289-299
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• 1996

It is necessary to measure the length of a root canal in order to attain a satisfactory prognosis after root canal therapy. There are several methods for determining root canal length, such as tactile sensation by the dental practitioner, the utilization of x-ray film, and electronic root canal measurement. Among these, the electrical measurement methods, in which the impedence between the oral mucous membrane and periodontal membrane is determined, have advantages of simplicity and accuracy. During root canal treatment, the root canal contains a solution of high electrical conductivity such as pus, blood, sodium hypochlorite and so on. Recently a new electronic root canal measurement device of frequency-dependent type has been developed, which is capable of measuring the length of root canal under moist conditions. Endex and Root ZX, which are frequency-dependent type, were evaluated for accuracy of measuring root canal length in vivo by stereomicroscope. The result were as follows ; 1. 82.5% of Endex and 87.5% of Root ZX measured in the range of ${\pm}0.5$ mm from the apical foramen and both showed 57.5 % in the range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. 2. Endex showed significantly higher accuracy in vital teeth than nonvital teeth(p<0.05). But in case of Root ZX, there was no significant difference between vital and nonvital teeth. 3. As a result of this study, there was no significant difference in accuracy between Endex and Root ZX, and both devices showed file passes the apical foramen in more than half of the cases, and it is thought that this must be considered clinically.