A simplified model to demonstrate the operation of electronic root canal measuring devices

An Ex Vivo Comparison of Electronic Apex Locator Teaching Models

“…Saline was selected as one of the media because it has been used in research with high accuracy (23) and is similar to biological tissue because of an ionic composition similar to blood plasma (24). Gelatin has been suggested as a cheap and valid embedding medium (13,25), and alginate also yields accurate results (5,11). Saline was the simplest to set up because it is available in preprepared bottles and easily disposed of.…”

“…Some have been assessed to be accurate models but tend to be costly or complicated. These include implanting extracted human teeth into a modified phantom jaw model (11), modifying a phantom jaw model, and then duplicating in wax to cast in acrylic (12) and a gelatin model that required the operator to stabilize the tooth by hand (13).…”

Influence of Apical Constriction Diameter on Root ZX Apex Locator Precision

“…This model was used for a number of reasons. It is easy to make and offers a high degree of stability; a number of authors (24,25) report that this working model provides better simulation of locator operation than gelatin-based models; finally, when alginate sets, roots embedded within are sufficiently strongly held to resist the force exerted by mechanical instruments, although when large-diameter files (#90 and #100) were used, the force required to instrument the root canal was such that the tooth often came out of its housing.…”

“…Teeth were then embedded in an alginate mold that was kept moistened in saline solution throughout the study to model a locator operation in a clinical context (23)(24)(25). Initial working length (L 0 ) was routinely determined with the Root ZX apex locator by using a #10 Kerr file, following manufacturer's instructions.…”

In vitrocomparison of measurement accuracy in pre-enlarged and enlarged canals with four apex locators

“…Thus, the operator remained 'blinded'as to the location of the file tip in the canal and had to rely on the EAL for controlling the apical extent of canal enlargement. In this respect, the alginate model appeared to simulate the clinical situation better than the previously used gelatin models 13,22,23) . In S10, the accuracy of EALs was revealed in the order of e-Magic Finder, Root ZX, Bingo 1020 and SmarPex.…”