Date: June 2024
Source: Applied Sciences, DOI: 10.3390/app14125307.
Objective: To evaluate the accuracy and repeatability of two new reference systems for three-dimensional facial scans, compared against a reference system built from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).
Setting and sample: Sixty subjects were enrolled at the University of Naples Federico II and Aarhus University… thirty growing participants (8–17 years) and thirty non-growing participants (over 21 years), each with a matched facial scan and full-field CBCT.
Materials and Methods: Facial scans were captured with the 3dMD system and aligned to each subject’s CBCT scan using stable regions of the nasal bridge and forehead. Two new reference systems were constructed on the facial scans using shared soft tissue landmarks, then compared against the CBCT-based reference system for validity, and reassessed after two weeks to evaluate intra-operator repeatability.
Results: Both new reference systems showed close agreement with the CBCT-based sagittal plane, with no statistically significant difference between the two methods. Landmark repeatability was strong across the sample, with the most stable points falling well within accepted precision limits.
Conclusions: Both reference systems demonstrated good validity and repeatability for facial scan analysis, offering orthodontists a reliable alternative to CBCT-based methods for tracking soft tissue change over time.
Article: Validity and Reliability of New Three-Dimensional Reference Systems for Soft Tissue Analysis Using Non-Ionizing Three-Dimensional Imaging.
Authors: Roberto Rongo, Vincenzo D’Antò, Ambrosina Michelotti, Marie A Cornelis, Paolo M Cattaneo. School of Orthodontics, Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Oral Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II,” Naples, Italy.