Cephalometrics : an overdue evaluation

Abstract EN

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of some cephalometric soft tissue linear measurements obtained from conventionally traced cephalograms with equivalent taken directly out from the patients’ faces.

This study was conducted on eleven orthodontic patients.

Small pieces of orthodontic wires were fixed on five soft tissue landmarks located in the midline of the face of each patient.

Five linear measurements were taken directly on each patient’s face using electronic Boley gauge to the nearest 0.05mm.

Lateral cephalometric view was taken for each patient with the small pieces of wires fixed on his face.

Using the same caliper, the previously mentioned linear measurements were retaken out from the traced cephalograms as these points would appear as distinct radio opaque points on each radiograph.

The two sets of readings of both the direct and the cephalometric measurements were statistically analyzed using the Concordance Correlation Coefficient and Pearson Correlation Coefficient.

Based on the results obtained from this study, the following conclusions could be drawn : A) Soft tissue analysis showed that we could not rely on linear soft tissue measurements extracted from lateral cephalometric radiographs as a representation of a particular patient.

B) A single magnification factor could not be applied as a correction agent for the lateral cephalometric soft tissue measurements for all the patients and even within the same patient.