Digital imaging provides a faster and more accurate method for apex location during endodontic procedures.
Most digital imaging applications, when used in conjunction with high-end digital sensors, provide an accurate measurement tool. Many digital imaging systems provide X-rays that are “precalibrated,” so you can immediately take a measurement that is accurate to within a fraction of a millimeter. Some imaging systems need calibration before the measurements are accurate, but the best ones, such as the DentiMax Digital Imaging system, provide precalibrated measurements so you can capture measurements at any time during the procedure.
For curved canals, using the DentiMax Digital Imaging System, you can place “intermittent” measurements with a simple right click of the mouse while pulling the full measurement, so you know exactly where to change direction during the procedure. Not only are the measurements accurate, they are in real time! No longer do you have to take the shot, wait for the picture to develop, and then look to see where you are. This saves you considerable time and lets you fit more procedures into your day, increasing revenue for your practice.
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Sophisticated digital imaging in one powerful system
When you get to the last shot of the procedure, you can calibrate the X-ray by measuring the actual file in the patient’s tooth. Click on the “calibrate measurement” tool, measure from the stopper to the tip of the file, and enter the millimeters of the file shown in the shot. From this point, measurements in that shot are 100% accurate. (The default calibration cannot automatically account for angulation of the sensor to the X-ray cone or tilt of the patient’s head, which is why the calibration tool exists.)
Now that you have the exact measurement, you know that the procedure will be dead-on accurate. There is no longer a need for an apex locator. Digital sensors and other high-end imaging systems not only provide faster images, but a more accurate measurement in a much faster timeframe. This not only increases your production by saving you time, but also increases the quality of patient care you provide by making your endo procedures as accurate as possible.
