Digital assessment of the radiographic features of dental posts made by dental students

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to radiographically assess the different types of post made by undergraduate dental students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study sample were collected in 2007 from the existing dental records of 272 patients who received treatment with different types of post and crowns between September 2004 and May 2007. The treatment was performed according to the classical prosthodontic guidelines. All radiographs were scanned and measurements were made using special computer software (ImageToolR). RESULTS: Radiographs of 150 teeth with posts were evaluated: 119 teeth with cast post and core, and 31 teeth with prefabricated post. The remaining apical gutta percha (RAGP) was acceptable in 142 teeth (94.7%). Teeth with no gap between tip of the post and gutta-percha (GP) was 81 teeth (54%), 60 teeth (40%) with gap less than 2 mm and 9 teeth (6%) with a gap more than 2 mm. The long axis of the post coincided with the long axis of the root in 125 teeth (83.3%). Post length to crown length ratio was 1:1 or more in 107 teeth (71.3%) while in 43 teeth (28.7%), the ratio was less than one. Fifty-two teeth (34.7%) showed unacceptablewidth while 92 teeth (65.3%) showed acceptable width in the coronal third. In the middle third, 26 teeth (17.3%) showed unacceptable width and 124 teeth (82.7%) showed acceptable width. In the apical third, 12 teeth (8%) had unacceptable post width while 138 teeth had acceptable post width. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the radiographic features of the cases made by the undergraduate dental students were mostly satisfactory.