Histogram-Corrected Intraoral Photographs for Early Gingivitis Screening in Orthodontic Patients

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Periodontology
• Dental Imaging

Background:

• Gingivitis significantly impacts periodontal health during and after orthodontic treatment.
• Early detection and management of gingivitis are crucial to minimize tissue damage.
• Intraoral photographs (IOPs) offer a potential tool for monitoring gingival health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate an early gingivitis detection method using IOPs.
• To evaluate the efficacy of histogram-based (HIC) and grey value-based intensity correction (GIC) methods for analyzing gingival redness.
• To correlate image analysis metrics with the gingival index (GI).

Main Methods:

• IOPs were collected at multiple time points during and after orthodontic treatment.
• Gingival redness was quantified using the red/green (R/G) ratio and grayscale visible-light value via HIC and GIC.
• The correlation between these image-derived metrics and the clinical GI was analyzed.

Main Results:

• Gingival index (GI) increased at later treatment stages (TO and IDO).
• HIC analysis showed increased R/G ratios in papillary gingivae at TO and IDO (p<0.01).
• HIC R/G ratio positively correlated with GI at debonding (IDO) in both maxillary and mandibular arches (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Intraoral photographs analyzed with HIC show promise as an early screening tool for gingivitis.
• Image correction techniques enhance diagnostic precision for gingivitis detection.
• This method supports personalized oral disease management through early intervention.