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Imaging Software Programs for Reliable Mathematical Measurements in Orthodontics
Eman Saad Radwan1, Andrea Scribante2, Maria Francesca Sfondrini2
1Orthodontic Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
Dentistry Journal
|August 7, 2020
Summary
Orthodontic miniscrew measurements showed high reliability across four software programs, though flank measurements varied significantly. Software choice did not offer absolute superiority, indicating an assessor effect may influence results.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Medical Imaging Analysis
Background:
- Accurate geometric measurements of orthodontic miniscrews are crucial for treatment planning and analysis.
- Various software programs are available for image analysis, but their reliability for miniscrew measurements is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reliability of linear and angular measurements of orthodontic miniscrews using four different software programs.
- To compare the performance of MicroDicom viewer, Photoshop CS3, AutoCAD, and Image-Pro for these measurements.
Main Methods:
- Four types of miniscrews were analyzed using scanning electron microscope images at 45× magnification.
- Seven geometric features (apical face angle, thread angle, lead angle, flank, pitch depth, and width) were measured.
- One assessor performed measurements twice, with a three-week interval, using each of the four software programs.
Main Results:
- A significant difference (p < 0.001) was found in flank measurements across the four software programs for all miniscrew groups.
- High intra-rater reliability (ICC 0.9–1.0) was observed for all features when data from all miniscrews were pooled.
- Most measurements showed insignificant differences between sessions, except for pitch width in some software programs.
Conclusions:
- No single software program demonstrated absolute superiority for miniscrew geometric measurements.
- An assessor effect, potentially influenced by miniscrew design and software features, may impact measurement accuracy.
