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In vitro evaluation of the reliability of the Root ZX electronic apex locator.

AIM
An experimental comparison of the Root ZX apex locator with the real measurement of the root canal length was carried out using a saline gel to simulate the periodontium.


METHODOLOGY
Lengths were taken when the needle reached the 0.5 mark and the Apex mark on the meter. These measurements were then compared with a calculated reference length representing the real length of the root canal. Reliability was assessed using Student's t-test. Precision was assessed using the mean and standard deviation of differences.


RESULTS
The Root ZX gave measurements within a range of 0.5 mm in 84.72% of the cases. The intra-operator and inter-operator variabilities were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The Root ZX is not capable of detecting the '0.5 mm from the foramen' position and thus, should only be used to detect the foramen (major diameter).