Computerized registration of epidemiological data from intraoral radiographs

Software was developed for graphic registration of epidemiological dental data from intraoral radiographs. The measured variables included marginal bone level in relation to tooth and root length as well as proximal caries and restoration areas. Caries and peridontitis progress nowadays slowly in large populations. Registration methods must, therefore, offer high precision. The hard and software were first tested. After that the method's reliability or precision was studied. The precision of measuring marginal bone level as a per cent of total tooth or root length was found to vary between 0.3-4.3. The corresponding precision of measuring a caries area in relation to the whole crown area was 1.4%. Precision was also divided into its components and analysed in more detail. All registered tooth variables except the angle between the proximal marginal bone and the root surface gave satisfactory results indicating good reliability.