ACCURACY OF CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHY VERSUS CLEARING TECHNIQUE IN DETECTION OF CONFLUENT CANALS IN MANDIBULAR MOLARS (IN VITRO STUDY)

INTRODUCTION One of the most important and challenging issues in root canal treatment is canal morphology. Canal confluence is one of those challenging anatomic findings, often result in abrupt curvatures that could overstress instruments and cause their intracanal breakage, so the recognition of a confluence is a key factor in performing appropriate root canal treatment (1). METHODOLOGY This study was conducted on thirty-three extracted humans first and second mandibular molars (for periodontal reasons). All samples were inserted into a human cadaver’s mandible, the teeth were mounted in the prepared alveolar sockets in the molar region to simulate a natural alignment and were fixed in the socket by wax. The teeth were scanned by CBCT and DPR from 0° and 20°mesialand distal-tube shifts, then cleared and examined by stereomicroscope. All interpreted Data from CBCT and DPR were statistically compared with clearing technique by using Receiver operating curve analysis test (MedCalc Software Ltd.Version 20.115) and the statistical significance was set at (p<0.05).