An automated procedure for the geometrical characterization of root canals

In this work an original system for the geometrical characterization of root canals for dental implants was developed and tested. The aim of this work is to determine the shape and the size of the posts that best fit a statistical population of root canals with a defined maximum amount of removed tissue. The task is performed by an accurate acquisition of the shape of a statistically significant batches of root impressions: the geometry are then processed to obtain the post geometry. The acquisition is carried out using a conoscopic laser scanning device mounted on a 4 axis controlled CNC measurement system. The shape of the root canals were measured for each type of tooth, obtaining an average 3-D computer design of the canal profiles. Several comparisons between the acquired geometry and the representative forms of commercial posts are finally presented.Copyright © 2008 by ASME.