MATERIALS AND METHODS: The panoramic radiographic images belonging to children with special needs from the two teaching dental hospitals in Malaysia aged between 5 and 16 years were included in the study. The evaluation was performed by two observers using three methods (London Atlas, Demirjian, and Willems methods) to estimate the accurate DA. The outcome was determined by comparing the mean of the DA and CA.
RESULTS: A total of 52 panoramic radiographs were available for the analysis. The London Atlas and Demirjian methods overestimated the DA with a mean of 0.05 and 0.20 years, respectively, while the Willems method underestimated by 0.19 years. The London Atlas method was highly precise and accurate, while Demirjian and Willems methods were the least precise and accurate.
CONCLUSION: The London Atlas method of DA estimation is highly accurate and valid for children with special needs in the Malaysian population, followed by the Willems and Demirjian methods.
METHODS: A ball phantom was scanned using panoramic mode of the Planmeca ProMax 3D Mid CBCT unit (Planmeca, Helsinki, Finland) with standard exposure settings used in clinical practice (60 kV, 2 mA, and maximum FOV). An automated calculator algorithm was developed in MATLAB platform. Two parameters associated with panoramic image distortion such as balls diameter and distance between middle and tenth balls were measured. These automated measurements were compared with manual measurement using the Planmeca Romexis and ImageJ software.
RESULTS: The findings showed smaller deviation in distance difference measurements by proposed automated calculator (ranged 3.83 mm) as compared to manual measurements (ranged 5.00 for Romexis and 5.12 mm for ImageJ software). There was a significant difference (p
MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, a total of 2629 patients for whom orthopantomogram were selected out of 3900 new patients between August 2020 and June 2021. The positioning errors of the radiographs were evaluated and categorized into ten groups. The quality of the radiographs is further assessed as "Excellent," "Diagnostically Acceptable," and "Diagnostically Unacceptable."
RESULTS: Out of the total radiographs, 32.8% had no errors, and 77.2% of the radiographs had one or more positioning errors. The radiographs were analyzed in detail, and the errors found in the panoramic radiographs were recorded. The most common positioning error observed in the radiograph was error 8, failure to place the tongue close to the palate.
CONCLUSION: The results and evaluation inferred that attention to patient positioning and focusing on reducing diagnostically indecent images could improve the quality of panoramic radiographs. Proper instructions to the patient, patient preparation, appropriate positioning of the patient, and the technician's skill plays a vital role in reducing diagnostic errors in Panoramic Radiography.
METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study comprising 350 selected radiographs of apparently healthy individuals collected for a period of one year, from the Department of Oral Radiology of a tertiary care centre of Nepal. Gonial angle measurements were recorded from digital panoramic radiograph (both right and left side) and lateral cephalogram. Data was collected in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, and skeletal malocclusion and then statistically analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.
RESULTS: The mean gonial angle for panoramic right, left and lateral cephalogram was 122.490±7.570, 123.620±7.060, and 124.150±6.910, respectively. There was a decrease in the mean values of the gonial angle observed as age advances seen in all the radiographs. The gonial angle measured in Class III malocclusion was higher in all the radiographs, followed by Class II and Class I. Gonial angles obtained in females were higher than the males in all the radiographs. Finally, the Aryan population showed a higher gonial angle compared to the Mongolian population in all the radiographs.
CONCLUSIONS: Panoramic radiograph (left side), could be considered as a reliable tool to measure the gonial angle.
DESIGN: Single-centre prospective two-arm parallel randomised controlled trial.
SETTING: Orthodontic Clinic, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Selangor, Malaysia.
PARTICIPANTS: Adult orthodontic patients aged 18-35 years, indicated for DPT and LC, who were fit and healthy with a body mass index of 18.5-25.0, not contraindicated to radiographic examination, not pregnant, and did not have a history of facial or skeletal abnormalities or bone diseases were included.
METHODS: Thirty-eight adult orthodontic patients were randomised into control and intervention groups. DPT and LC radiographs in the control group were obtained using standard scanning parameters as prescribed by the manufacturer using Orthopantomograph® OP300 by Instrumentarium. Scanning parameters in the intervention group were reduced by 60% for DPT (60 kV, 3.2 mA) and 30% for LC (85 kV, 8 mA). A five-point rating scale was used for the assessment of image quality. Images were evaluated for diagnostic performance by detection of anatomical landmarks. Mann-Whitney test was performed to compare the quality and diagnostic performance of the images and the observer agreement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
RESULTS: For image quality, the control group produced slightly lower median scores (DPT 2.0, LC 2.0) compared to the intervention group (DPT 2.0, LC 3.0). For diagnostic performance, both groups showed similar median scores (DPT 21.0, LC 32.0). The differences between control and intervention groups for both modalities were not statistically significant. The average scores for intra-observer agreement were excellent (ICC 0.917) and inter-observer agreement was good (ICC 0.822).
CONCLUSION: Minimising radiation exposure by reducing scanning parameters on digital DPT by 60% and LC by 30% on Intsrumentarium 300 OP did not affect the quality and diagnostic performance of the images. Thus, scanning parameters on digital DPT and LC should be reduced when taking radiographs.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group comprised of 30 healthy subjects, 15 males and 15 females, aged between 24 years and 65 years. Samples were obtained from the exfoliated oral mucosa cells of buccal mucosa before and 12 days after exposing the patients to panoramic radiography.
RESULTS: The study reported that there was no significant increase in the number of micronuclei cells present before and after panoramic radiography. Positive correlation existed between age with pre- and postexposure micronuclei.
CONCLUSION: Diagnostic dental panoramic radiograph does not induce micronuclei in the target buccal epithelium cells. A positive correlation between age and micronuclei frequency was established.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Panoramic radiographs does not induce cytotoxicity but increase frequency may be vulnerable to genotoxic effects in buccal mucosal cells. Hence, dental radiographs should be prescribed only when necessary.