Published online Mar 20, 2024. doi: 10.5662/wjm.v14.i1.88850
Peer-review started: October 13, 2023
First decision: December 7, 2023
Revised: December 20, 2023
Accepted: January 19, 2024
Article in press: January 19, 2024
Published online: March 20, 2024
The authors describe a technique for building an alternative jawbone phantom using dental gypsum and rice for research and dental radiology instruction.
To investigate the potential of an alternative phantom to simulate the trabecular bone aspect of the human maxilla in periapical radiographs.
Half-maxillary phantoms built from gypsum-ground rice were exposed to X-rays, and the resulting images (experimental group) were compared to standardized radiographic images produced from dry human maxillary bone (control group) (n = 7). The images were blindly assessed according to strict criteria by three exami
The differences in the trabecular aspects between groups were not statistically significant. In addition, interobserver agreement among observers was 0.43 and 0.51 for the control and experimental groups, respectively, whereas intraobserver agreement was 0.71 and 0.73, respectively.
The tested phantom seemed to demonstrate potential for trabecular bone image simulation on maxillary periapical radiographs.
Core Tip: The successful interpretation of radiographs is a complex process that relies on the clinician’s understanding of the radiographic image and ability to recognize the range of appearances of hard and soft tissues. To improve radiographic technique and image interpretation, the assimilation of normal appearances of hard tissues is fundamental in the research and teaching of dentomaxillofacial radiology. The authors describe a technique to build an alternative jawbone phantom using dental gypsum and rice for research and dental radiology instruction. The tested phantom seemed to have potential for trabecular bone image simulation on maxillary periapical radiographs.