X-ray Craniofacial Imaging Computer To Automatically Identify The Sentinel Study

Cephalometric analysis is a basic method in the study and the clinical diagnosis and treatment of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. In 1931, Broadbent published his famous article and first used cephalometry in orthodontic study and treatment. From then on, the technique of analysis has been improved and got much progress. Now, it has been widely used in studying craniofacial growth and development, studying both normal and abnormal craniofcial structures; studying the changes within craniofacial structures; making malocclusion diagnosis; working out the treatment plan; observing the changes during orthodontic treatment and giving the help in treatment designs in dentofacial orthopedics.Two approaches have been used to perform a cephalometric analysis. The first method is by manually tracing salient features, identifying landmarks and measuring distances and angles between landmark locations. The second method is computer aided. Landmarks are located manually while these locations are digitized into a computer system. The computer then completes the cepalometric analysis. In addition, several available systems can connect the landmarks with line segments to produce a tracing. Some systems are capable of moving the tissues to simulate treatment effects, growth effects and surgical prediction.Although the technique of cephalometric analysis has been developed, it is time-consuming and error-prone. The user locates landmarks manually with a mouse cursor on the display monitor on some systems. And other systems digitize landmark locations on a digitizing pad. Both locate the landmarks manually and easy to make the errors. These errors have influenced on the accurateness of cephalometric analysis.