Veerabhadrappa Suresh Kandagal, Yadav Seema, Ganesh Nandan, Ghani Wan Maria Nabillah, Khairah Bt Ismail Ummul, Zamzuri Ahmad Termizi Bin
Department of Oral Diagnostic sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, SEGi University, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Department of Periodontology & Oral Implantology, Faculty of Dentistry, SEGi University, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
J Dent Educ. 2025 Jan 6. doi: 10.1002/jdd.13817.
Intraoral periapical radiographic techniques are mandatory exercises taught to undergraduate students during their training. The key challenges encountered while teaching the bisecting angle technique (BAT) include correctly positioning the X-ray cone and adjusting the central X-ray beam to the tooth of interest. To address this, a custom-designed pointed laser light (CDPLL) was fabricated and attached to the X-ray cone. This study evaluated the effectiveness of CDPLL compared to conventional BAT in acquiring quality radiographs, reducing errors, and evaluating students' perceptions through a questionnaire.
Third-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students were divided into two groups of 26 each. Group 1 used Conventional BAT, while Group 2 employed Laser-Assisted BAT on a mannequin. Both techniques were taught through theory and clinical demonstrations. Students took radiographs of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars of both jaws. Group 1 students then transitioned to Laser-Assisted BAT and repeated the radiographs. Inter-group and intra-group comparisons of radiographic quality and errors were analyzed using Chi-Square tests.
Group 2 produced more excellent (41.8%) and acceptable (47.6%) radiographs, with fewer unacceptable ones (10.6%) than Group 1 (p < 0.001). Transitioning from conventional BAT to Laser-Assisted BAT in Group 1 led to significantly higher excellent (41.8%) and lower unacceptable (7.2%) radiographs (p < 0.001). Errors were significantly higher in Group 1 (81.5%) compared to Group 2 (59.5%) (p < 0.001). Common errors included cone cut and overlapping while foreshortening was the least frequent error. Over 80% of students felt CDPLL effectively guided the central X-ray beam and expressed interest in using it in the future.
The CDPLL affixed to the X-ray cone serves as an effective teaching tool for taking high-quality radiographs, yielding a higher number of excellent and acceptable radiographs while minimizing repetition and errors. It also aids students in adjusting the X-ray cone and central beam to the desired teeth.
口腔根尖片投照技术是本科学生培训期间的必修课程。讲授分角线投照技术（BAT）时遇到的主要挑战包括正确定位X线球管以及将X线中心束调整至感兴趣的牙齿。为解决这一问题，制作了一种定制的尖头激光灯（CDPLL）并将其安装在X线球管上。本研究通过问卷调查评估了CDPLL与传统BAT相比在获取高质量根尖片、减少误差以及评估学生看法方面的有效性。
三年级口腔医学学士（BDS）学生被分为两组，每组26人。第1组使用传统BAT，而第2组在人体模型上采用激光辅助BAT。两种技术均通过理论和临床示范进行讲授。学生对上下颌的切牙、尖牙、前磨牙和磨牙进行根尖片投照。然后第1组学生改用激光辅助BAT并重复投照。使用卡方检验分析两组间及组内根尖片质量和误差的比较情况。
第2组获得的优质（41.8%）和可接受（47.6%）根尖片更多，不可接受的根尖片（10.6%）比第1组少（p < 0.001）。第1组从传统BAT转换为激光辅助BAT后，优质根尖片（41.8%）显著增多，不可接受的根尖片（7.2%）显著减少（p < 0.001）。第1组的误差（81.5%）显著高于第2组（59.5%）（p < 0.001）。常见误差包括牙片切迹和影像重叠，而影像缩短是最不常见的误差。超过80%的学生认为CDPLL能有效引导X线中心束，并表示未来有兴趣使用它。
安装在X线球管上的CDPLL是获取高质量根尖片的有效教学工具，能产生更多优质和可接受的根尖片，同时减少重复和误差。它还能帮助学生将X线球管和中心束调整至所需牙齿。
