Morphometric methods to evaluate craniofacial growth: study in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of direct and indirect measurement methods, with a view to standardizing morphometry instruments.


METHODS
Dry skulls of 30 New Zealand rabbits were used. Measurements were made with a transparent flexible plastic ruler, an EKG calliper and a digital calliper, as well as with computerized tomography and lateral radiographs for direct and indirect analysis of distances and angles.


RESULTS
The different instruments studied showed only partial agreement.


CONCLUSIONS
A standardized and reliable direct or indirect morphometry method for the craniofacial skeleton of rabbits still has not been determined.
Department of Dentistry, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
A T
AT
de Abreu
E B
EB
Veeck
N P
NP
da Costa
D000818:Animals; D002138:Calibration; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D009915:Orbit / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D011817:Rabbits; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014716:Vertical Dimension