Three-dimensional dental measurements: An alternative to plaster models.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of dental measurements taken with calipers on plaster dental casts and those from computed tomography scans of the dentition with a dental measurement program.


METHODS
The sample consisted of plaster dental models of 34 orthodontic subjects. Dental arch measurements, including mesiodistal widths of teeth, arch widths, arch lengths, arch perimeters, and palatal depths were made with the calipers. The patients were also scanned with computed tomography, and measurements were made digitally with a 3-dimensional-based dental measurements program (3DD, Biodent, Cairo, Egypt).


RESULTS
The results showed strong agreement in most measurements between the conventional method and the 3DD in the 3 planes of space. The mesiodistal measurements of the maxillary right and left second premolars, left central incisor, and right first molar, and the mandibular left and right central incisors, right canine, and left first premolar had fair agreement.


CONCLUSIONS
Excellent agreement between the measurements with the conventional and 3DD methods in the 3 planes of space was found; 3DD can be an alternative to conventional stone dental models.
Orthodontic Department, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Hend Mohammed
HM
El-Zanaty
Amr Ragab
AR
El-Beialy
Amr Mohammed
AM
Abou El-Ezz
Khaled Hazem
KH
Attia
Ahmed Ragab
AR
El-Bialy
Yehya Ahmed
YA
Mostafa
D000328:Adult; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003724:Dental Arch / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008334:Mandible; D008437:Maxilla; D003765:Models, Dental; D009811:Odontometry; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014070:Tooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D055815:Young Adult