A comparison of the reliability of conventional and computerized cephalometric techniques

ABSTRACTÇelik, E., A comparison of the reliability of conventional and computerizedcephalometric techniques, Baskent University Health Sciences Institute PhdThesis in Orthodontics, Ankara, 2007. The aim of the present study was tocompare the measurements of conventional and two different computerizedcephalometric techniques (Jiffy Orthodontic Evaluation (JOE), Vistadent 2.1 AT),from the parameters that were selected from various analyis types of differentauthors. İnvestigation of the reliability between analysis techniques and betweencomputerized methods was targeted. For this purpose one hundred and twenty fivepretreatment lateral cephalograms were selected from archive of the orthodonticdepartment at Baskent University Faculty of Dentistry. All lateral cephalograms weretaken with the same orthopantomogram (PM 2002 CC Proline Planmeca Oy SF-00810 Helsinki, Finland) with a standart procedure. All lateral cephalograms wereexamined by the same investigator. One of the investigated techniques wasconventional (manual) tracing and the other two were computerized. For comparisonof investigated techniques, twenty seven angular and linear parameters were used.According to the results twenty one of twenty eight parameters were not foundstatistically significant. They were: BaNA angle, SNA angle, Condylion-A distance,Condylion-Gnathion distance, SNB angle, Maxillo-mandibular difference, WITT?S,ANB angle, GoGn.SN angle, Ar.GoGn angle, Palatal plane-mandibular plane angle,Upper incisor-NA angle, Lower incisor-NB distance, Interincisal angle, Overbite,Overjet, IMPA, Occlusal plane angle, Lower lip-E plane distance, Upper lip lenght, A -Nasion perpendicular distance.Nasolabial angle, ANS-Menton distance, Antero-posterior face height ratio,Lower incisor -NB angle, Pg - Nasion perpendicular distance, Gonion - Mentondistance, Upper incisor - NA distance parameters showed statistically significantdifferences in three groups.JOE software was found more similar to the conventional measurements incomparison with Vistadent 2.1 AT software. Nasolabial angle in JOE group had thelowest level of reproducibility in all parameters.Keywords: Cephalometrics, reliability, JOE, Vistadentiv