RELIABILITY OF CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY – DERIVED SOFT TISSUE MEASUREMENTS IN ORTHODONTICS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Introduction: Recently, there are many investigations in a trail to shift fromthe direct three- dimensional image to CBCT derived cephalometric image takesplace. It is important to investigate whether it is possible to use a CBCT derivedcephalometric image to direct three-dimensional image, by comparing the angle andlinear measurements of soft tissue structures assessed from a midsagittal projectionusing 3D cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) compared with those evaluatedthrough derived lateral cephalometric imaging. Aim: to evaluate the dependabilityand reliability of soft tissue orthodontic measurements acquired from derived conebeam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: Forty CBCT scans;from the archive of Oral Radiology department Suez Canal University, Ismailia,Egypt, were used. Landmark identification carried out using OnDemand3DApp < br />program (cybermed Inc., Seoul, Korea) imaging software. Ten linear ratios and fiveangles were measured three times. Independent T-test used in this study to analyze thedistinctions between two imaging modalities (direct CBCT and derived images at asignificant level of probability (P£0.05). Results: There were no statistically significantdifferences were found between the direct CBCT and the derived imaging types in allmeasurements assessed, with the exception of the upper lip in reference to the E-line,which demonstrated a highly significant result. Conclusion: The derived CBCT can beconsidered a reliable approach for creating a database of facial soft tissue and can beutilized as a substitute for traditional lateral cephalograms when the patient’s CBCT isalready available, thereby minimizing the patient’s exposure to radiation.