Visual evaluation as a quality control program in Dental Radiology

Authors

  • Melissa Feres Damian Universidade de Passo Fundo
  • Patrícia dos Santos Cé Universidade de Passo Fundo
  • Leonardo Flores Luthi Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba da Universidade Estadual de Campinas
  • Mateus Ericson Flores Universidade de Passo Fundo
  • Francisco Haiter-Neto Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba da Universidade Estadual de Campinas

Keywords:

Dental radiography, quality control, diagnostic, processing

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether changes of density and contrast in dental radiographs caused by degradation of processing solutions can be visually identified. Methods: Sixty periapical radiographs were taken using a density scale and a phantom, and were processed in a portable dark room using processing solutions in progressive degradation over 30 days of the study. The films of the density scale were used to evaluate the percentage of density and contrast decrease, and the exposed films with the phantom were used for visual evaluation. Eighteen dentists scored the radiographs according to the possibility of image interpretation. Results: Only radiographs with 45% average loss of density and 62% of contrast were considered inappropriate for diagnostic purposes. Conclusion: It was concluded that the visual clinical evaluation is inadequate to be used as a single program of quality control in Dental Radiology. Key words: Dental radiography; quality control; diagnostic; processing

Author Biographies

Melissa Feres Damian, Universidade de Passo Fundo

Doutora em Radiologia Odontológica pela FOP/UNICAMP, Professora Adjunta da Faculdade de Odontologia da UPF

Patrícia dos Santos Cé, Universidade de Passo Fundo

Acadêmica de Odontologia da UPF

Leonardo Flores Luthi, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba da Universidade Estadual de Campinas

Cirurgião Dentista pela UPF, aluno do curso de Mestrado em Prótese Dentária da FOP/UNICAMP

Mateus Ericson Flores, Universidade de Passo Fundo

Doutor em Radiologia Odontológica pela FOP/UNICAMP, Professor Adjunto da Faculdade de Odontologia da UPF

Francisco Haiter-Neto, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba da Universidade Estadual de Campinas

Livre Docente, Professor Titular da FOP/UNICAMP

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Published

2008-06-22

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 3 (2008)

Section

Original Article

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