Periodontal repair in dogs: examiner reproducibility in the supraalveolar periodontal defect model.
BACKGROUND
Histometric assessments are routinely used to evaluate biologic events ascertained in histologic sections acquired from animal and human studies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility of histometric assessments in the supraalveolar periodontal defect model.


METHODS
Histometric analysis using incandescent and polarized light microscopy, an attached digital camera system, and a PC-based image analysis system including a custom program for the supraalveolar periodontal defect model was performed on histologic sections acquired from one jaw quadrant in each of 12 dogs. The animals had received an experimental protocol including implantation of a coral biomaterial and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) barrier devices, and were evaluated following a 4-week healing interval. Histometric parameters were recorded and repeated within a 3-month interval by two examiners following brief training. Intra- and inter-examiner reproducibility was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC).


RESULTS
Most parameters showed high intra-examiner ICCs. Parameters including defect height, connective tissue repair, bone regeneration (height/area), formation of a junctional epithelium, positioning of the GTR device, ankylosis, root resorption, and defect area yielded an ICC> or 0..9. The ICCs for bone density and biomaterial density were somewhat lower (0.8 and 0.7, respectively). The inter-examiner reproducibility was somewhat lower compared to the intra-examiner reproducibility. Nevertheless, the ICCs were generally high (ICC range: 0.6-0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Histometric evaluations in the supraalveolar periodontal defect model yield highly reproducible results, in particular when a single examiner performs the histometric measurements, even when the examiner was exposed to limited training.
Koo
Ki-Tae
KT
Laboratory for Applied Periodontal and Craniofacial Regeneration, Temple Univesity School of Dentistry, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Polimeni
Giuseppe
G
Albandar
Jasim M
JM
Wikesjö
Ulf M E
UM
D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015519:Bone Density; D001861:Bone Regeneration; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D004846:Epithelial Attachment / Q000473:pathology; D016557:Guided Tissue Regeneration, Periodontal; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D015588:Observer Variation; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010781:Photography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012391:Root Resorption / Q000473:pathology; D020254:Tooth Ankylosis / Q000473:pathology; D014945:Wound Healing
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial