Comparison of the effects of lightening solutions and indirect digital technique on enhancement of the diagnostic quality of dark periapical radiographs

Occasionally, due to overexposure or over-development, radiographs become dark. If this darkness can be decreased, there will be no need to repeat the radiographs. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of indirect digital technique and lightening solutions on improvement of diagnostic quality of darkened radiographs. In this experimental study, 50 periapical radiographs were taken from different areas of the maxilla and mandible of a head phantom with standard diagnostic quality using the bisecting technique. Subsequently, the exposure time was increased 1.5 times to produce darkened radiographs. The darkened radiographs were corrected by the use of a lightening solution and an indirect digital technique. Three well-trained post-graduate oral radiology students separately assessed the radiographs and graded the radiographs from 1 to 4 using a questionnaire based on their quality. Data were analyzed using Friedman’s and Wilcoxson’s tests (α = 0.05). There were statistically significant differences between diagnostic qualities of darkened radiograph and other groups (p value < 0.001). The qualities of radiographs lightened with lightening solution and indirect digital technique were better than those of the control group (p value < 0.001). The qualities of radiographs lightened with lightening solution were better than those lightened by indirect digital technique (p value < 0.001). Under the limitations of this study in the enhancement of diagnostic quality of dark radiographs, the lightening solution was better than indirect digital technique. Further evaluations are recommended.