Abstract Introduction: Panoramic radiography and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) are very important in the diagnosis of oral diseases, however patients are exposed to the risk of ionizing radiation. This paper describes our study aimed at comparing absorbed doses in the salivary glands and thyroid due to panoramic radiography and CBCT and estimating radiation induced cancer risk associated with those methods. Methods Absorbed doses of two CBCT equipment (i-CAT® Next Generation and SCANORA® 3D) and a digital panoramic device (ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH® OP200D) were measured using thermoluminescent dosimeters loaded in an anthropomorphic phantom on sublingual, submandibular, parotid and thyroid glands. Results Absorbed doses in the i-CAT® device ranged between 0.02 (+/-0.01) and 2.23 mGy (+/-0.03), in the SCANORA™ device ranged from 0.01 (+/-0.01) to 2.96 mGy (+/-0.29) and in the ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH® OP200D ranged between 0.04 mGy and 0.78 mGy. The radiation induced cancer risk was highlighted in the salivary glands, which received higher doses. The protocols that offer the highest risk of cancer are the high resolution protocols of CBCT equipment. Conclusion CBCT exposes patients to higher levels of radiation than panoramic radiography, so the risks and benefits of each method should be considered. The doses in CBCT were dependent on equipment and exposure parameters, therefore adequate selection minimizes the radiation dose.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical criteria for the diagnosis of hyposalivation in hospitalized patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A clinical study was carried out on 145 subjects (48 males; 97 females; aged 20 to 90 years). Each subject was clinically examined, in the morning and in the afternoon, along 1 day. A focused anamnesis allowed identifying symptoms of hyposalivation, like xerostomia complaints (considered as a reference symptom), chewing difficulty, dysphagia and increased frequency of liquid intake. Afterwards, dryness of the mucosa of the cheecks and floor of the mouth, as well as salivary secretion during parotid gland stimulation were assessed during oral examination. RESULTS: Results obtained with Chi-square tests showed that 71 patients (48.9%) presented xerostomia complaints, with a significant correlation with all hyposalivation symptoms (p <0.05). Furthermore, xerostomia was also significantly correlated with all data obtained during oral examination in both periods of evaluation (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Clinical diagnosis of hyposalivation in hospitalized patients is feasible and can provide an immediate and appropriate therapy avoiding further problems and improving their quality of life.

O presente estudo visou avaliar e comparar, in vitro, a eficácia dos métodos radiográficos convencional (filmes de grupos de sensibilidade E/F Kodak Insight) e digital (Sistema Gnatus DRS), no diagnóstico de cavidades simulando reabsorções radiculares externas, em dentes contidos em mandíbulas humanas secas com músculo bovino simulando o tecido mole. As variáveis consideradas foram: tamanhos das cavidades e examinadores envolvidos. Foram utilizadas nove unidades de cada grupo dentário, incisivos (central e lateral), caninos, pré-molares e molares, sem lesões periapicais, as quais foram radiografadas inicialmente, em três tomadas radiográficas periapicais (orto, mesio e distorradial) pelos métodos radiográficos convencional e digital. Extraíram-se os dentes com o auxílio de fórceps e as cavidades de reabsorção foram confeccionadas com brocas cilíndricas DORMER® - HSS - Aço rápido, de 0,7 e 1,0 mm de diâmetro, nas profundidades 0,7 e 1,0 mm, para simular cavidades pequenas e médias, respectivamente, distribuídas nos terços radiculares cervical, médio e apical e nas faces vestibular, mesial e distal. Após a realização das cavidades os dentes eram reposicionados nos alvéolos e então, radiografados novamente pelos métodos convencional e digital, sendo esses passos comuns a ambos os diâmetros e profundidades das cavidades. As radiografias convencionais e digitais foram avaliadas por três cirurgiões-dentistas, sendo um radiologista, um endodontista e um clínico geral. Os resultados da investigação mostraram que, pelo método radiográfico digital o número de cavidades observadas foi maior do que pelo convencional, tanto para as cavidades pequenas (p<0,05), quanto para as médias (p<0,05).

This in vitro study evaluated and compared the efficacy of conventional (Kodak F-speed (Insight), Kodak) and a digital (DRS Gnatus System, Gnatus) radiographic imaging for diagnosis of simulated external root resorption cavities. Human mandibles containing teeth were covered with bovine muscle slices in order to simulate the soft tissues. Nine teeth out of each group of teeth were investigated. Initially, three periapical radiographs of each tooth were taken using a tube shift technique with mesial and distal angulations in both methods. All teeth were subsequently extracted and had 0.7 and 1.0-mm deep cavities prepared on their buccal, mesial and distal surfaces at the cervical, middle and apical thirds. Steel cylinder burs (DORMER® - HSS) with 0.7 and 1.0-mm diameter were used. Each tooth was replaced on its socket and new radiographs were taken. Three examiners, an endodontist (1), a radiologist (2) and a general dentist (3), evaluated the images. Results were compared by z-test and showed a higher number of cavities detected by the digital method compared to the conventional, regardless of the deepness of the cavity. In decreasing order, examiners 2, 3 and 1 exhibited different potentials of detection of cavities with the conventional method. Examiners 1 and 3 exhibited superior potential than examiner 2 for detection of cavities of different sizes with the digital method.