title: Three-dimensional analysis of maxillary dental casts using Fourier transform profilometry: precision and reliability of the measurement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fourier transform profilometry was used for the three-dimensional measurement of maxillary dental casts to analyze the size and shape of the palate. The objective of this study was to test the accuracy of the measuring system and determine the precision and reliability of the measurement
  
  
  METHODS
  Images of dental casts were analyzed using newly developed measuring software. Based on five landmarks located on the alveolar ridge, the measuring software constructed 10 transversal sections of the palate. In each section profile, the width, area, and 23 height variables were assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maxillary dental stone casts of 25 healthy girls, 14.1 to 15.3 years of age, were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The technical error of measurement exceeded 5% of the size of the measurement only in variables with means less than approximately 3 mm. In fact, such small absolute dimensions were exhibited only by the palate height in anterior profile 2 and the palate height at the margins of other profiles. Reliability of the measurements was found to be very high for the width and area of the profiles. For height measurements, the coefficient of reliability was slightly lower at the profile margins than near the midline. Nevertheless, only three height variables showed a coefficient of reliability lower than 0.90. The coefficients of reliability of other height measurements of profiles 3 through 10 were only sporadically lower than 0.97.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With regard to the accuracy of the measuring system as well as the precision and reliability of the measurement, this method proved to be a suitable tool for studying palatal morphology.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dental Research, General Faculty Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic. trefny@seznam.cz
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Trefný
authors.forename: Zbynek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Smahel
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Formánek
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peterka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D008437:Maxilla; D003765:Models, Dental; D010159:Palate / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results