Can the Inversion Filter Improve the Visibility of the Mandibular Incisive Canal?

BACKGROUND: One of the anatomic structures in the mental interforaminal area is the mandibular incisive canal (MIC). Using various manipulation tools in the digital system may affect the visibility of MIC. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of inversion filter (IF) on the visibility of mandibular incisive canal in panoramic radiographs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 2580 digital panoramic images of 18 to 70-year-old patients were inspected for presence of MIC. Visibility of MIC and extension of the canal were registered separately on each side using IF and conventional mode. Data were analyzed by Kappa test using SPSS version 20 software. A probability value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: There was no significant differences between IF and conventional mode regarding visibility of MIC (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Although using IF caused improved visibility of MIC, the difference with conventional mode was not statistically different.