Evaluation of growth prediction with two different softwares

The majority of orthodontic treatment is directed toward the growing children. These patients show growth changes in their dental structure, facial skeleton and soft tissue profile. So growth prediction is an important process before the decision of treatment plan. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the growth prediction validity of Nemoceph NX and Vistadent OC computer programs.Lateral cephalograms of 50 female and 50 male (100 individuals) were selected from the archive of the Dicle University, Dental Faculty, Department of Orthodontics. The second cephalograms which were taken after 3 years were selected from the initial records of these patients. Female, male groups and a general group of both males and females were composed. All first cephalograms were digitized in both programs and growth prediction was performed for 3 years period. The growth prediction data were compared with the actual values obtained from the second cephalograms. Paired samples T-test was used to compare dental, skeletal and soft tissue related 28 parameters.According to the comparison of the prediction values with the actual ones, female prediction values in Nemoceph NX and male prediction values in Vistadent OC were closer to the actual ones. When groups were pooled without sexual dimorphism, the prediction values obtained from Nemoceph NX were closer to the actual ones.The growth prediction values of 28 parameters obtained from Nemoceph NX software program demonstrate closer values to the actual ones, while prediction accuracy of both programs were less than 50%.