A Comparative Analysis of the Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Appliance and Trephine Bur for Apical Location: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

To compare and contrast the accuracy of piezoelectric ultrasonic insert (PUI) and trephine bur (TB) osteotomy site preparation techniques for apical location. (1) Material and methods: A total of 138 osteotomy site preparations were randomly distributed into one of two study groups. Group A: TB technique (n = 69) and B: PUI technique (n = 69). A preoperative cone-beam computed tomography scan and an intraoral scan were performed and uploaded to implant-planning software to plan the virtual osteotomy site preparations for apical location. Subsequently, the osteotomy site preparations were performed in the experimental models with both osteotomy site preparation techniques and a postoperative CBCT scan was performed and uploaded into the implant-planning software and matched with the virtually planned osteotomy site preparations to measure the deviation angle and horizontal deviation as captured at the coronal entry point and apical end-point between osteotomy site preparations using Student’s t-test statistical analysis. (2) Results: The paired t-test found statistically significant differences at the coronal entry-point deviations (p = 0.0104) and apical end-point deviations (p = 0.0104) between the TB and PUI study groups; however, no statistically significant differences were found in the angular deviations (p = 0.309) between the trephine bur and piezoelectric ultrasonic insert study groups. (3) Conclusions: The results showed that the TB is more accurate than the PUI for apical location.

Is Augmented Reality Technology Effective in Locating the Apex of Teeth Undergoing Apicoectomy Procedures?

“…Data from the CBCT and 3D surface scans were aligned, overlaying anatomical points of reference located at the crowns of the teeth. Virtual planning of the preparations of osteotomy sites were carried out at an angle of 90 • with respect to the longitudinal axes of the teeth at the apex of each tooth [22] (Figure 1).…”

“…Data from the CBCT and 3D surface scans were aligned, overlaying anatomical points of reference located at the crowns of the teeth. Virtual planning of the preparations of osteotomy sites were carried out at an angle of 90° with respect to the longitudinal axes of the teeth at the apex of each tooth [22] (Figure 1). Therapeutic planning software was then used to automatically segment the teeth in each experimental model so that the operator could fully visualize the root and crown of each tooth.…”