Precision Of Linear Measurement Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography In Mandibular Dental Implants:an Experimental Study

Objective:With the development of Stomatology technology,dental implantation has been widespread and gradually becoming the preference of the Patients with tooth loss because of its unique advantages. The whole process of oral planting can’t be departed from the support of radiological technology. traditional radiological equipment that were used in the area of oral implanting including periapical film,panoramic radiograph and MSCT.these radiological equipment cannot satisfy the requirements of oral planting due to their own disadvantages.As a newly-presented radiological equipment, Cone beam CT (CBCT) equipment provides a new choice to oral implantation and was widely used in all the areas of Stomatology.The advantages of CBCT equipment has already been affirmed by large numbers of scholars,but the Precision of linear measurement in mandibular dental implants was still controversial.The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy and reliability of linear measurements in dental implant site using cone beam computed tomography(CBCT) system to verify the value of this system in oral implantation and to provide theoretical application of CBCT in oral implantation.Methods:Ten cases of different toothless mandibles were chosen. These cases were made into resin experimental models.All these experimental models were mixed with 10% of barium sulfate were used in this study. All these mandible models were marked with pencil and then with wax sheets and gutta-percha markers to standardize the plane of the transverse cross-sections and path of measurements.The mandible models were imaged using Mayer SS-X9010D CBCT device. Measurements were taken with DCTViewer software.Then the experimental models were cut according to the marks. New measurements were recorded directly in the mandible models using vernier caliper. These two sets of measurement data were recorded and then compared. The outcome of the measurement were divided into 4 groups:The measured results were divided into four groups:vertical lines in anterior teeth area,vertical lines in posterior teeth area,horizontal lines in anterior teeth area,horizontal lines in posterior teeth area.A paired sample t-test was performed to compare difference between CBCT measurement and vernier caliper measurement. Less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results:The mean value of vertical lines recorded by CBCT were (21.62±1.87) mm in anterior teeth area and (10.66±0.95) mm in posterior teeth area.The mean value of horizontal lines recorded by CBCT were (7.08±0.69) mm in anterior teeth area and (10.10±1.80) mm in posterior teeth area.The mean value of vertical lines recorded by vernier caliper were (21.71±1.96) mm in anterior teeth area and (10.75±0.90) mm in posterior teeth area.The mean value of horizontal lines recorded by vernier caliper were (7.13±0.65) mm in anterior teeth area and (10.19±1.86) mm in posterior teeth area.The differences of vertical lines between CBCT and vernier caliper were (-0.0895±0.22) mm in anterior teeth area and (-0.0830±0.19) mm in posterior teeth area. The differences of horizontal lines between CBCT and vernier caliper were (-0.0520±0.14) mm in anterior teeth area and (-0.0847±0.32) mm in posterior teeth area. The corresponding t values were-1.784,-1.981,-1.621 and -1.684, respectively. All the P values were greater than 0.05.There was no significant difference between CBCT measurement and vernier caliper measurement. There was no significant difference between CBCT measurement and vernier caliper measurement.Conclusions:CBCT Showed its good precision and reliability in oral implantation. .CBCT Is a useful tool to provide good accuracy and precision of linear measurement in dental implants.