title: A critical evaluation of the pitchfork analysis.
abstract: The pitchfork analysis has gained increasing acceptance among researchers and clinicians to evaluate the effects of orthodontic treatment that can be measured on lateral cephalometric radiographs. It is primarily used in Class II cases to distinguish between the skeletal and dental effects of such treatments. The aim of this study was to conduct an objective evaluation of the pitchfork analysis by comparing cephalometric data obtained by that method with those using the more conventional and established method of Björk. The pitchfork analysis consistently provided an overestimation of the skeletal effects and an under-estimation of the dental changes. These results indicate that the pitchfork analysis is not sufficiently sensitive to distinguish between the skeletal and dental effects of orthodontic treatment.
authors: Department of Orthodontics and Children's Dentistry, Centre for Dental and Oral Medicine, University of Zürich, Switzerland.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Männchen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D005004:Ethmoid Bone / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005624:Frontal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D008334:Mandible / Q000473:pathology; D008437:Maxilla / Q000473:pathology; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D009915:Orbit / Q000473:pathology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012399:Rotation; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000473:pathology