Orthodontics
Sanghamitra Jena; Debipada Kabi; Girish Chaudhary; Anshul Chaudhry
Abstract
Aim: The study aimed at determining the variability of landmark identifications and its reproducibility by manual and digital methods of cephalometric tracing.Methods: Pre-treatment cephalograms of sixty subjects recommended for orthodontic treatment were taken in the natural head position with the teeth ...
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Aim: The study aimed at determining the variability of landmark identifications and its reproducibility by manual and digital methods of cephalometric tracing.Methods: Pre-treatment cephalograms of sixty subjects recommended for orthodontic treatment were taken in the natural head position with the teeth in maximum intercuspation and were traced by a single operator. Statistical analysis was performed, and the mean, standard deviations, and coefficients of variation were calculated for each parameter and imaging modality. For all the variables, the Shapiro-Wilk’s test for normality was conducted to identify the distribution of each variable. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used where distribution was non-normal for at least one of the comparing variables and the repeated sample t-test was used where normal distribution was detected for both the variables.Results: For digital tracing, the coefficients of variation were less than 1, suggesting high reliability. For most manually traced images, the landmarks with high coefficients of variation were Porion, Basion, Sella, Point B, and Gonion. Coefficients of variation were invariably higher for the manual method than the digital method, implying readings were more consistent in the digital method for the above landmarks under observation. Out of the 29 parameters, the mean difference of sixteen of them was calculated to be statistically significant with each other, which shows that the digital method of cephalometric tracing can be relied upon for the reliability.Conclusion: The digital method of landmark identification gives a more consistent reading.
Girish Chaudhary; Anshul Chaudhry; Armaan Pandher; Priyanka Kapoor; Aman Chowdhry; Sanghamitra Jena
Abstract
Aim: The original Demirjian method for dental age estimation is very lengthy, because it involves a number of charts to estimate the dental age. So, a simplified comprehensive chart (DAEcc) was developed to facilitate dental age estimation by the Demirjian method. The aim of the study was to check the ...
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Aim: The original Demirjian method for dental age estimation is very lengthy, because it involves a number of charts to estimate the dental age. So, a simplified comprehensive chart (DAEcc) was developed to facilitate dental age estimation by the Demirjian method. The aim of the study was to check the applicability and reproducibility of the simplified comprehensive DAEcc chart for dental age estimation by a group of dental interns.Methods: Twenty-eight interns were trained to identify the correct stage of calcification on dental radiographs by tracing seven mandibular permanent teeth (lower central and lateral incisors, canine, first and second premolars, first and second molars in the fourth quadrant) on orthopantomographs of the left side. After assigning the corresponding scores, all the scores were summed up and ease of applicability of the simplified method was assessed for dental age estimation.Results: The correlation coefficient between chronological age and dental age as estimated by the interns was 0.995, which showed an excellent correlation; and the average time taken by the interns for the interpretation was 1-2 minutes, which is much less compared to the original method. The excellent correlation and the little time taken by the interns, demonstrate the ease of applicability of this modified chart.Conclusion: Dental age was correctly estimated by dental interns by applying this simplified chart in a significantly shorter time period.