Computers and cephalometrics

Computers have been adapted to cephalometric data acquisition and analysis. Traditional cephalometric radiographs provide images that are entered into computers by converting them to digital data. Other non-ionizing radiation forms of energy, such as sound, light and magnetism, are now used to create images. Newer methods of data acquisition are emerging that convert objects directly to digital data for computer entry without going through intermediate analogue forms. The analysis of cephalometric data for diagnostic use is aided by computers, but the automated treatment planning application of computers is limited. This limitation is not a function of the computer, but a function of our inability to reliably predict absolute biologic changes in the face of biologic variability.