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Comparative Assessement of Orthopantomogram and Lateral Cephalogram For Linear and Angular Measurement of Mandible in
Akash G Kudmathe1, Kanika Arora2, Nitika Rohilla3
1Department of Orthodontics, RKDF Dental College and Research Centre, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan University, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Background:
Accurate assessment of mandibular morphology is crucial in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning. While lateral cephalograms (Lat Ceph) are commonly used, orthopantomograms (OPG) offer advantages in eliminating superimposition. This research compares the diagnostic reliability of OPG and Lat Ceph in assessing gonial angle, ramus height, and body length in skeletal Class I and Class II malocclusions with different growth patterns.
Methods:
This retrospective research included 200 participants aged 16-25 years, divided into skeletal Class I and Class II groups, with hypodivergent and hyperdivergent subgroups. Mandibular parameters were measured using digital software (Nemoceph) from OPG and Lat Ceph. Statistical analysis was performed to compare linear and angular measurements between the two modalities.
Results:
Gonial angle and ramus height measurements showed no statistically significant differences between OPG and Lat Ceph across all groups. Body length measurements were significantly different for Class II hypodivergent (P = 0.01) and hyperdivergent (P = 0.02) patterns, with OPG showing shorter values. OPG provided consistent and reliable results, particularly for linear measurements, while maintaining comparable accuracy to Lat Ceph for angular parameters.
Conclusion:
OPG emerges as a reliable alternative to Lat Ceph for assessing mandibular morphology, particularly in linear measurements, reducing superimposition errors and enhancing diagnostic accuracy.
