2D vs. 3D measurements of the position of palatally impacted canines. Part III. Measurements in cephalogram, generated cephalogram and CBCT
Abstract
We wanted to establish the degree of mutual substitutability of 3 different digital radiograms in defining location of impacted upper canines - cephalogram, CBCT, and cephalogram generated from CBCT, with the help of repeatability and reproducibility of measurement of an impacted tooth location. Material and method: The sample included patients of orthodontic departments of the Institute of Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University and University Hospital Olomouc and the Clinic of Stomatology, Charles University and University Hospital Hradec Králové.
We selected the patients with impacted upper canine with cephalogram and CBCT taken prior to treatment - 43 patients, 51 palatally impacted canines. The distance between canine cusp and occlusal plane, and angle of a long axis of impacted canine to occlusal plane were measured in cephalograms, CBCTs and in cephalograms generated from CBCT.
To establish reliability of mesurement in digital radiographs and mutual substitutability of digital radiograms made by three different techniques repeatability and reproducibility of measurement was evaluated. Results: A good degree of repeatability of identification of canines location was proved in all three radiographic methods.
Reproducibility of measurement of impacted canines location by defining vertical distance between canine cusp and occlusal plane was good, however, the results of reproducibility of canine long axis inclination to occlusal plane varied in different types of radiographs. Furthermore, measurements showed a big bias of values of angular measurements between CBCT and digital cephalograms or generated from CBCT scans.
Conclusion: Measurement of canine long axis inclination to occlusal plane is different in CBCT and 2D cephalograms. Vertical distance between canine cusp and occlusal plane is the only parameter the measurements of which are substitutable (2D and 3D).