“3D Counterpart Analysis”: A Novel Method for Enlow’s Counterpart Analysis on CBCT

• Published in: Diagnostics (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 10; p. 2513
• Main Authors: D’Attilio, Michele, Peluso, Antonino, Falone, Giulia, Pipitone, Rossana, Moscagiuri, Francesco, Caroccia, Francesco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.10.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Anthropometry; cephalometry; cone-beam computed tomography; CT imaging; dental diagnosis; Methods; Orthodontics; Radiation; radiography; Software; Three dimensional imaging; Italy; United States > US
• ISSN: 2075-4418; 2075-4418
• DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12102513

The aim of this study was to propose a novel 3D Enlow’s counterpart analysis traced on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Eighteen CBCT images of skeletal Class I (ANB = 2° ± 2°) subjects (12 males and 6 females, aged from 9 to 19 years) with no history of previous orthodontic treatment were selected. For each subject, a 2D Enlow’s counterpart analysis was performed on lateral cephalograms extracted from the CBCT images. The following structures were identified: mandibular ramus, middle cranial floor, maxillary skeletal arch, mandibular skeletal arch, maxillary dento-alveolar arch, mandibular dento-alveolar arch. The differences between each part and its relative counterpart obtained from the 2D analysis were than compared with those obtained from a 3D analysis traced on the CBCT images. A Student’s t-test did not show any statistical significant difference between the 2D and 3D measurements. The landmarks proposed by this study identified the cranio-facial structures on the 3D images in a way that could be superimposed on those described by Enlow in his analysis performed on 2D lateral cephalograms.