Introduction

Figure 1.  Digital periapical radiographic image showing several scratches varying in length, width, and intensity.

The above mentioned similarities of SPPs to radiographic film (no cords attached, flexibility, thickness) were taken into account in order to secure a smooth transition from film-based radiography to digital radiography when the decision to adopt the Denoptix storage phosphor system (Dentsply International, Des Plaines, IL 60018) as the new imaging system at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, School of Dentistry was made.  Since the integration of such a system (August 2001), dental imaging is now completely digital in this facility.  As our experience with SPPs grew over time, issues that were not considered earlier came into surface, i.e., the digital images from SPPs which had been repeatedly used seemed to demonstrate a lower quality due to the appearance of scratches.  These scratches can some times render the resulting image completely non diagnostic and may lead to a remake of the radiograph (Figure 1).

Our experience with SPPs indicated the durability of this imaging system may be limited despite the manufacturer’s claim the SPPs can be used indefinitely.

A search of the literature yielded no studies addressing the durability of digital systems in general, nor that of SPPs.  If indeed there is a durability issue, the practitioners as well as the manufacturer should be aware of it.

The aim of this in vitro investigation was to evaluate the durability of SPPs as a digital dental imaging system and to detect the factors that may contribute to possible reduced durability.

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Citation Number: Vol. 5, No. 2, Page 060