A Novel Method of Comparison of Two-Dimensional Measurement with Three-Dimensional Cone-Beam Computed Tomography for Measuring the Maxillary Casts of Cleft Lip and Palate Patients

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore a novel two-dimensional (2D) software technique and investigate the relationship between corresponding 2D and three-dimensional (3D) measurements on maxillary plaster casts of infants up to 6 months of age born with complete unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP). Materials and Methods: Twenty-five series of plaster casts were made of infants with complete unilateral and BCLP up to 6 months and were subjected to photographs followed by digitization for 2D software (MAKHTER) measurements and additionally to cone-beam computed tomography scanner for 3D digitization and measurement. The corresponding 2D and 3D measurements of the selected linear distances, curve lengths, and surface areas were carried out, and the efficacy of our 2D software was assessed and compared with 3D using linear regression. Results and Conclusion: Our innovative 2D technique was found to be much reliable and effective as the values for different landmarks were found to be close with 3D. However, 3D method presented good accuracy error (0.8%) on measuring geometric objects. There were no statistically significant differences (P > 5%) noted for different methods (2D and 3D) for almost all the distances analyzed. Thus, 2D software could be used as reliable alternate tool for 3D measurements, and additionally, 3D values could be predicted using Deming regression analysis from 2D measurements values.