Cone-Beam Computed Tomography for the Evaluation of Dental Pulp Chamber Volume: Implications for Clinics and Teaching

Abstract

The dental pulp chamber volume is a fundamental measurement in the field of endodontics, but also in forensic sciences, teaching and training, or tissue engineering. This study evaluates the precision of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in comparison with computed micro-tomography (micro-CT) in evaluating the pulp chamber volume of the upper central incisors ex vivo. The intra-operator and inter-operator errors were evaluated, and the results for the two techniques were compared with those of a T-test for paired samples. The intra-operator and inter-operator errors were >0.05, indicating adequate reproducibility in each operator and no significant differences between their measurements. On the other hand, no significant differences between the two measurement techniques were found. The present results demonstrate that CBCT is a precise, feasible, and reproducible technique for the evaluation of the dental pulp chamber volume ex vivo. The results provided with this method are useful for different medical domains but also for the teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Furthermore, the findings of this study carry significant clinical implications, as the accurate assessment of the pulp chamber volume is critical in the diagnosis and treatment of various endodontic conditions. The ability of CBCT to provide reliable 3D dental anatomy measurements can enhance the planning of endodontic treatments by allowing for a better understanding of the internal tooth morphology. Additionally, the precision and reproducibility of CBCT in assessing the pulp chamber volume can contribute to improved clinical outcomes and reduced complications during endodontic procedures. These findings further support the increasingly vital role of CBCT in modern clinical practice and underscore its value as an indispensable tool in the field of dentistry. © 2024 by the authors.