A computer-assisted measurement technique to assess bone proximal to oral implants on intraoral radiographs

A computer-assisted measurement technique for measuring bone levels proximal (mesial and distal) to oral implants imaged on standardized intraoral radiographs offers promise for accuracy and reliability. There were no differences between bone measurements made directly from bone proximal to implants placed in a dry mandible and those resulting from the computer-assisted measurement technique. In addition, there were no differences between measurements made of bone proximal to oral implants in vivo using the microscope and the computer techniques. The computer technique had a low intra- and inter-operator variability, and operators found fewer "unreadable" sites compared to the microscope technique. The computer-assisted measurement of bone levels proximal to oral implants on standardized intraoral radiographs offers accuracy and reliability.