Year : 2024

Volume : Volume 16

Issue : Issue 1

Address for correspondence :
Dr. A. Lakshmi Prasanna
apuriprasanna@gmail.com

Abstract

Background: One of the most commonly used diagnostic tools in Orthodontics is a lateral cephalogram. The study was undertaken to compare the linear measurements of the pharyngeal spaces recorded on a lateral cephalogram manually and digitally. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on pre-treatment lateral cephalograms of 48 patients with the measurements made on the digital lateral cephalogram. The said landmarks using McNamara analysis were identified on the digital lateral cephalogram and the values were calculated and the lateral cephalograms were manually traced upon an A4 size acetate paper. Atotal of 2 parameters were taken in the study. Microsoft Excel software is used to carry out the statistical analysis of data. Data were analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics, namely, mean and standard deviation, and presented by bar diagrams. Results: The results of the study show that there are statistically significant differences between both manual and digital tracing methods (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Both digital and manually traced angular measurements were accurate and reliable and show a significant difference. Although both were equally accurate and reliable as the amount of time taken to register the landmarks is minor.