Accuracy of linear cephalometric measurements with scanned lateral cephalograms

Digital Cephalometry needs to be as accurate as conventional cephalometry in order to be taken as a standard of care in contemporary orthodontics. Objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of linear cephalometric measurements on scanned cephalograms with manual tracing as the gold standard. Cephalometric analysis of specified linear measurements was performed on cephalometric radiographs manually. Radiographs were subsequently scanned and the images were analyzed digitally with a computer software for the same measurements. Paired sample t tests were used for statistical significance [p<0.05]. Clinical significance was set as more than 2mm difference between the methods for any linear measurement. Cephalometric comparisons between original and digital images showed statistically significant differences for S-Go, N-Me and ANS-Me. None of the means of the difference between the two methods exceeded 2mm. Although some measurements showed statistically significant differences, the difference was regarded as clinically insignificant. Scanned cephalograms can be safely used for linear cephalometric analysis

Orthodontic treatment need in 13 - 30 years patients by using the index of orthodontic treatment need

To evaluate the orthodontic treatment need a study was conducted at orthodontic department of Islamic International Dental Hospital [IIDH]. Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need [IOTN] was applied in a sample of 300 patients. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 10.0. Out of 300 subjects 114 were males and 186 females with mean age of 18 +/- 4.8 years were reported. Dental Health Component showed 19% [Grade 5], 57% [Grade 4], 18% [Grade 3], 5% [Grade 2] and 2% [Grade1] results respectively and Aesthetic Component showed percentages as 31.66% [Scale 1-4], 32% [Scale 5-7] and 36.3% [Scale 8-10]. Strong association was found between aesthetic component and dental health component [p=.000]. According to Dental Health Component 75% of the population was found to be in definite treatment need and only 36.3% of the population was in definite treatment need according to Aesthetic Component. No significant gender difference was found for treatment need