Periodontal Measurement Accuracy and Reliability Using Intraoral Ultrasound

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Medical Imaging
• Periodontology

Background:

• Intraoral ultrasonography (iUS) is a noninvasive, radiation-free imaging method for soft and hard tissues.
• Its clinical accuracy and reliability in periodontology require further characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy and reliability of periodontal parameters measured using intraoral ultrasonography.
• To assess the consistency of measurements between different raters and methods.

Main Methods:

• Ex vivo accuracy was assessed using a customized 20-MHz ultrasound system against micro-computed tomography (µCT) on 58 teeth.
• In vivo reliability was evaluated in 19 adolescents measuring alveolar bone level (ABL), alveolar bone thickness (ABT), and gingival thickness on 134 iUS images.

Main Results:

• iUS demonstrated excellent accuracy for ABL (ICC 0.94-0.96) and ABT (ICC 0.87) compared to µCT.
• No significant differences were found between iUS and µCT measurements (P > 0.05).
• High intrarater (ICC ≥ 0.84) and interrater (ICC ≥ 0.82) reliability was observed in vivo.

Conclusions:

• Intraoral ultrasonography provides highly reproducible and reliable periodontal measurements.
• A standardized, anatomy-guided protocol enhances measurement consistency across operators.
• Further validation is needed in patients with periodontal disease for longitudinal monitoring.