title: Reliability and accuracy of cone-beam computed tomography dental measurements.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental measurements are an integral part of the orthodontic records necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment planning. In this study, we investigated the reliability and accuracy of dental measurements made on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) reconstructions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty human skulls were scanned with dental CBCT, and 3-dimensional reconstructions of the dentitions were generated. Ten measurements (overbite, overjet, maxillary and mandibular intermolar and intercanine widths, arch length available, and arch length required) were made directly on the dentitions of the skulls with a high-precision digital caliper and on the digital reconstructions with commercially available software. Reliability and accuracy were assessed by using intraclass correlation and paired Student t tests. A P value of < or = 0.05 was used to assign statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the CBCT and the caliper measurements were highly reliable (r >0.90). The CBCT measurements tended to slightly underestimate the anatomic truth. This was statistically significant only for compounded measurements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental measurements from CBCT volumes can be used for quantitative analysis. With the CBCT images, we found a small systematic error, which became statistically significant only when combining several measurements. An adjustment for this error allows for improved accuracy.
authors: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Baumgaertel
authors: J Martin
authors: JM
authors: Palomo
authors: Leena
authors: L
authors: Palomo
authors: Mark G
authors: MG
authors: Hans
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003481:Cuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007180:Incisor / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008963:Molar / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D015588:Observer Variation; D009811:Odontometry / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface