Journal of Dental Specialities
Open Access
  • Year: 2015
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue: 1

Contrary electrode positions and its effect on the accuracy of apex locator

  • Author:
  • A Logani1,, A Singh2, A Chawla3, V Kumar4, N Shah5
  • Total Page Count: 3
  • Page Number: 40 to 42

1Additional Professor, Dept. of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (A.I.I.M.S), New Delhi, India

2Ex-Senior Resident, Dept. of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (A.I.I.M.S), New Delhi, India

3Senior Research Associate, Dept. of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (A.I.I.M.S), New Delhi, India

4PhD Scholar, Chief, Dept. of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (A.I.I.M.S), New Delhi, India

5Prof. & Head, Dept. of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Centre for Dental Education and Research, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (A.I.I.M.S), New Delhi, India

*Address for Correspondence: Dr. Ajay Logani, Additional Professor, Division of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Center for Dental Education & Research All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi-110029, E-mail: apexlogani@yahoo.co.in

Online published on 6 October, 2015.

Abstract

Clinically evaluate the effect of varying the conditions and the position of the contrary electrode on the accuracy of apex locators to determine the working length.

Thirty patients requiring endodontic intervention of as many maxillary anterior teeth were randomly selected. Root ZX, a 3rd generation apex locator was used to determine the electronic working length (EWL). Three positions of the contrary electrode were evaluated Group I: held at the corner of the patient's mouth in contact with oral mucous membrane, Group II: held in the patients ’dry hand, Group III: held in patients moist hands. Three consecutive readings were taken at each position and the mean calculated.

The readings obtained for group II & III were analyzed against group I using Altman Criterion for Agreement Analysis. A mean difference of 0.73 and 6.52mm was observed between group I & III and between groups I & II respectively.

Moist hands can be an alternate placement position for the contrary electrode during EWL determination