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PurposeTo compare the diagnostic ability of undergraduate dental students to detect maxillary sinus abnormalities in panoramic radiographs (PR) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).Materials and MethodsThis was a retrospective study based on the evaluation of PR and CBCT images. A pilot study was conducted to determine the number of students eligible to participate in the study. The images were evaluated by 2 students, and 280 maxillary sinuses were assessed using the following categories: normal, mucosal thickening, sinus polyp, antral pseudocyst, nonspecific opacification, periostitis, antrolith, and antrolith associated with mucosal thickening. The reference standard was established by the consensus of 2 oral radiologists based on the CBCT images. The kappa test, receiver operating characteristic curves, and 1-way analysis of variance with the Tukey-Kramer post-hoc test were employed.ResultsIntraobserver and interobserver reliability showed agreement ranging from substantial (0.809) to almost perfect (0.922). The agreement between the students' evaluations and the reference standard was reasonable (0.258) for PR and substantial (0.692) for CBCT. Comparisons of values of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy showed that CBCT was significantly better (P<0.05).ConclusionCBCT was better than PR for the detection of maxillary sinus abnormalities by dental students. However, CBCT should only be requested after a careful analysis of PR by students and more experienced professionals.

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Objectives: To assess whether dimensional changes occur as shape distortion (unevenly), contraction or magnification (evenly) in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) considering materials, anatomical regions, and metal artefact reduction algorithms (MAR). Methods: Four cylinders of amalgam (Am), cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr), gutta-percha (Gu), titanium (Ti) and zirconium (Zi) were inserted inside a polymethylmethacrylate phantom in anterior and posterior regions for acquisitions in Picasso Trio and OP300 with MAR enabled and disabled. Two observers measured the dimensions of each cylinder in three axes: Y (height), Z (antero posterior diameter), and X (latero-lateral diameter). Repeated measures ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test compared the data (α = 5%). Results: Shape distortion occurred for all materials in anterior region of Picasso Trio without MAR (p < 0.05). With MAR enabled, Gu and Ti contracted, while the others showed distortion (p ≥ 0.05). In posterior region, all materials distorted in both MAR conditions (p < 0.05), except Gu, which magnified without MAR (p ≥ 0.05) and contracted unevenly with MAR (p < 0.05). In anterior region of OP300, all materials magnified without MAR, (p ≥ 0.05), and had shape distortion with MAR (p < 0.05). In posterior region, only Am showed magnification without MAR (p ≥ 0.05), while all materials presented shape distortion with MAR (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Dimensional changes of high-density materials in CBCT can be either a magnification, a contraction or a distortion; the last condition is the most prevalent. Furthermore, changes differ considering material, anatomical region and MAR condition.