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Accuracy of digital and film panoramic radiographs for assessment of position and morphology of mandibular third molars and prevalence of dental anomalies and pathologies

¹ Department of Oral Radiology, Royal Dental College, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Aarhus, Denmark; ² Faculty of Odontology, University of Iceland, Iceland; ³ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Royal Dental College, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Aarhus, Denmark

*Correspondence to: Ingibjorg S Benediktsdottir, Department of Oral Radiology, Royal Dental College, University of Aarhus, Vennelyst Boulevard 9, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Email: isb{at}odont.au.dk

Received 7 November 2002; revised 21 January 2003; accepted 5 March 2003

Objectives: To compare the accuracy of digital and film panoramic radiographs for determining (1) the position and morphology of mandibular third molars before surgical removal and (2) the prevalence of dental anomalies and pathologies.

Methods: Three hundred and eighty-eight third mandibular molars were available for examination. Position and morphology of third molars observed on film radiographs and on digital panoramic images from five systems (DenOptix, DigiDent, Digora, Dimax2 and Orthophos Plus) were recorded by two observers and were compared with surgeons’ findings at the time of the operation (gold standard). One observer further recorded the prevalence of dental anomalies and pathologies on both imaging modalities.

Results: Few differences were found between the digital and film-based panoramic systems in the assessment of accuracy of position and morphology of mandibular third molars. The prevalence of dental anomalies and pathologies determined with the two modalities was roughly similar.

Conclusion: The five digital panoramic systems evaluated in this study were equally as useful for third molar treatment planning and diagnosis of dental anomalies and pathologies as conventional film-based panoramic radiographs.

Keywords: radiography, dental, digital; radiography, panoramic; molar, third

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