Abstract: PURPOSE: To compare the root canal morphology of mandibular incisors by using cone-beam CT (CBCT) and canal staining and clearing technique. METHODS： Sixty-one extracted mandibular incisors with complete dental root and apex which received no endodontic treatment and no post crown restoration were selected. Each tooth was radiographed with CBCT, and the root canal system was stained by canal staining and clearing technique. The consistency of the number of root canal, root canal Vertucci type of mandibular permanent incisors between the two methods were compared, and the differences of the detection rate on root canal branch structure between the two methods were analyzed. The results were statistically analyzed with SPSS 17.0 software package. RESULTS: The Kappa value of single and double root canal types between CBCT and canal staining and clearing technique was 0.847 (P<0.001) .The Kappa value of Vertucci root canal types between CBCT and canal staining and clearing technique was 0.861 (P<0.001). The detection rates of root canal branch structure were 8.19% and 22.95%, respectively, with significant difference between the two methods (P=0.025). The canal staining and clearing technique was significantly better than CBCT in detection of root canal branch structure. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT can reflect the root canal types nearly perfectly, but inferior to canal staining and clearing technique in detection of root canal branch structure, CBCT is a relatively accurate clinical diagnosis tool of root canal morphology.

Key words: CBCT, Canal staining and clearing technique, Mandibular incisors, Root canal morphology