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Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the performance of a model that automatically sets a region of interest (ROI) and diagnoses mesiodens in panoramic radiographs of growing children using deep learning technology. Methods: Out of 988 panoramic radiographs, 489 patients with mesiodens were classified as an experimental group, and 499 patients without mesiodens were classified as a control group. This study consists of two networks. The first network (DeeplabV3plus) is a segmentation model that uses the posterior molar space to set the ROI in the maxillary anterior region with the mesiodens in the panoramic radiograph. The second network (Inception-resnet-v2) is a classification model that uses cropped maxillary anterior teeth to determine the presence of mesiodens. The data were divided into five groups and cross-validated. Deep learning model were created and trained using Inception-ResNet-v2. The performance of the segmentation network was evaluated using accuracy, Intersection over Union (IoU), and MeanBFscore. The overall network performance was evaluated using accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. Results: Segmentation performance using posterior molar space in panoramic radiographs was 0.839, IoU 0.762, and MeanBFscore 0.907. The mean values of accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and area under the curve for the diagnosis of mesiodens using automatic segmentation were 0.971, 0.971, 0.971, 0.971, and 0.971, respectively. Conclusions: The diagnostic performance of the deep learning system using posterior molar space on the panoramic radiograph was sufficiently useful. The results of the deep learning system confirmed the possibility of complete automation of the classification of mesiodens.

This study investigated whether the relationship between the maxillary sinus and the root of the maxillary premolar is correlated with the root position and whether there is a difference in the long axis angle of premolars and the buccal bone thickness according to the sinus-root relationship and root position.Cone-beam computed tomographic images of 587 maxillary first premolars and 580 second premolars from 303 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The maxillary sinus floor-root relationship was classified into 4 types, and the root position in the alveolar bone was evaluated as buccal, middle, or palatal. The long axis angle of the maxillary premolars in the alveolar bone and the buccal bone thickness were measured. The correlation between these parameters was analyzed.The maxillary sinus floor-root relationship showed a statistically significant correlation with the root position in the alveolar bone. Most maxillary first premolars were buccally located, and more than half of the second premolars had their roots in the middle. The long axis angle of the premolars was significantly larger in buccal-positioned teeth than in middle-positioned teeth, and the buccal bone was thinner.When the root of the maxillary premolar was separated from the sinus floor, the premolar was often located on the buccal side. Most of the maxillary first premolars had a thinner buccal bone and larger inclination than the second premolars. It is recommended to evaluate the root position, sagittal angle and buccal bone thickness using CBCT for implant treatment planning.

Ameloblastic carcinoma is a rare odontogenic malignant tumor with the histologic features of both ameloblastoma and carcinoma. It occurs more frequently in the mandible than in the maxilla and it may appear de novo or develop from a preexisting ameloblastoma or odontogenic cyst. Rapidly progressing, painful swelling is the most common symptom, and radiographically, it shows significant bone resorption and cortical perforation. This report described a case of ameloblastic carcinoma in a 45-year-old man who presented with swelling in the left mandible. The lesion showed combined features of benign findings, such as an expansile cortex with a distinct border, and malignant findings, such as a large exophytic mass with frank bone resorption. Excisional biopsy was performed and a final diagnosis of ameloblastic carcinoma was made.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of the airway volume measurement by a Regression Neural Network-based deep-learning model. A set of manually outlined airway data was set to build the algorithm for fully automatic segmentation of a deep learning process. Manual landmarks of the airway were determined by one examiner using a mid-sagittal plane of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of 315 patients. Clinical dataset-based training with data augmentation was conducted. Based on the annotated landmarks, the airway passage was measured and segmented. The accuracy of our model was confirmed by measuring the following between the examiner and the program: (1) a difference in volume of nasopharynx, oropharynx, and hypopharynx, and (2) the Euclidean distance. For the agreement analysis, 61 samples were extracted and compared. The correlation test showed a range of good to excellent reliability. A difference between volumes were analyzed using regression analysis. The slope of the two measurements was close to 1 and showed a linear regression correlation (r2 = 0.975, slope = 1.02, p &lt, 0.001). These results indicate that fully automatic segmentation of the airway is possible by training via deep learning of artificial intelligence. Additionally, a high correlation between manual data and deep learning data was estimated.

This study sought to test the feasibility of a newly developed plane called computed modified absolute mandibular midsagittal plane (cmAMP) based on the similarity index (SI) for evaluating the stereoscopical symmetry of the mandible by comparison with other proposed midsagittal planes. This study involved 29 adult patients (15 men, 14 women, average age, 23.1 &plusmn, 6.9 years) with skeletal Class III facial asymmetry who underwent bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. Using cone-beam computed tomography images taken before and 1 year after surgery, cmAMP with the highest SI value between the two anterior segments of the hemi-mandible was set by a computer algorithm. Results show that the SI using cmAMP had the highest value (0.83 &plusmn, 0.04) before surgery compared to the other midsagittal planes, and was not significantly different from the SI (0.80 &plusmn, 0.05) using a facial midsagittal plane (MSP) after surgery. The distance (1.15 &plusmn, 0.74 mm) and angle (2.02 &plusmn, 0.82&deg, ) between MSP and cmAMP after surgery were significantly smaller than those between MSP and other midsagittal planes. In conclusion, the cmAMP plane best matches the two anterior segments of hemi-mandible symmetrically and is the closest to MSP after orthognathic surgery in skeletal Class III patients with facial asymmetry.

The plane formed by the intersection of bilateral porions (PoR and PoL) and left orbitale (OrL) is conventionally defined as the Frankfort horizontal (FH) plane. We aim to test the influence of the FH plane definition on a 3D cephalometric assessment. We selected 38 adult patients (20 males, 18 females, average age: 22.87 &plusmn, 5.17 years) without any gross asymmetry from retrospective records and traced and analyzed their cone-beam computed tomographic images. The findings were categorized into the following four groups: FH1: conventional, FH2: PoR, PoL, right orbitale (OrR), FH3: OrR, OrL, PoL, FH4: OrR, OrL, PoR. The average menton (Me) deviation from the MSP was statistically significant for the FH1 group (0.56 &plusmn, 0.27 mm, p &lt, 0.001), compared to the FH3 (1.37 &plusmn, 1.23 mm) and FH4 (1.33 &plusmn, 1.16 mm) groups. The spatial orientation level (SOL) of the FH plane showed a marked difference (p &lt, 0.05) between the FH2 (0.602&deg, &plusmn, 0.503&deg, ) and FH4 (0.944&deg, 0.778&deg, ) groups. The SOL of the MSP was comparatively small (p &lt, 0.001) for FH2 (0.015&deg, 0.023&deg, ) in comparison to both FH 3 (0.644&deg, 0.546&deg, ) and FH 4 (0.627&deg, 0.516&deg, ). Therefore, the FH plane definition can significantly influence the interpretation of cephalometric findings. Future studies should focus on standardization to improve the reliability and reproducibility of 3D cephalometry.

In the absence of accurate medical records, it is critical to correctly classify implant fixture systems using periapical radiographs to provide accurate diagnoses and treatments to patients or to respond to complications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether deep neural networks can identify four different types of implants on intraoral radiographs. In this study, images of 801 patients who underwent periapical radiographs between 2005 and 2019 at Yonsei University Dental Hospital were used. Images containing the following four types of implants were selected: Br&aring, nemark Mk TiUnite, Dentium Implantium, Straumann Bone Level, and Straumann Tissue Level. SqueezeNet, GoogLeNet, ResNet-18, MobileNet-v2, and ResNet-50 were tested to determine the optimal pre-trained network architecture. The accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score were calculated for each network using a confusion matrix. All five models showed a test accuracy exceeding 90%. SqueezeNet and MobileNet-v2, which are small networks with less than four million parameters, showed an accuracy of approximately 96% and 97%, respectively. The results of this study confirmed that convolutional neural networks can classify the four implant fixtures with high accuracy even with a relatively small network and a small number of images. This may solve the inconveniences associated with unnecessary treatments and medical expenses caused by lack of knowledge about the exact type of implant.

The practicability of deep learning techniques has been demonstrated by their successful implementation in varied fields, including diagnostic imaging for clinicians. In accordance with the increasing demands in the healthcare industry, techniques for automatic prediction and detection are being widely researched. Particularly in dentistry, for various reasons, automated mandibular canal detection has become highly desirable. The positioning of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN), which is one of the major structures in the mandible, is crucial to prevent nerve injury during surgical procedures. However, automatic segmentation using Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) poses certain difficulties, such as the complex appearance of the human skull, limited number of datasets, unclear edges, and noisy images. Using work-in-progress automation software, experiments were conducted with models based on 2D SegNet, 2D and 3D U-Nets as preliminary research for a dental segmentation automation tool. The 2D U-Net with adjacent images demonstrates higher global accuracy of 0.82 than naïve U-Net variants. The 2D SegNet showed the second highest global accuracy of 0.96, and the 3D U-Net showed the best global accuracy of 0.99. The automated canal detection system through deep learning will contribute significantly to efficient treatment planning and to reducing patients’ discomfort by a dentist. This study will be a preliminary report and an opportunity to explore the application of deep learning to other dental fields.

Burkitt lymphoma, a subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is an aggressive neoplasm with three variants that are endemic, sporadic, and immunodeficiency associated. We present an unusual case of sporadic Burkitt lymphoma in a 6-year-old boy who initially presented with hypermobile teeth and no other specific signs or symptoms. On dental radiography, the patient was found to have alveolar bone resorption adjacent to the maxillary first molars, with the appearance of floating teeth. In addition, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed extensive soft tissue masses involving four quadrants of the jaws. A definitive diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma was made based on tissue and bone marrow biopsy. Subsequent images, including abdominal computed tomography (CT) and bone scan, revealed wide dissemination of the lymphoma into the abdominal cavity, pancreas, and numerous bones. This case suggests the possibility of dental complaints as an initial clinical manifestation of sporadic Burkitt lymphoma and emphasizes the role of dentists in early detection of the disease to improve prognosis.

Evaluation of facial asymmetry generally involves landmark-based analyses that cannot intuitively assess differences in three-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic structures between deviation and non-deviation sides. This study tested a newly developed similarity index that uses a mirroring technique to intuitively evaluate 3D mandibular asymmetry, and characterised the resulting lower facial soft tissue asymmetry. The similarity index was used to evaluate asymmetry before and after surgery in 46 adult patients (27 men, 19 women; age, 22 ± 4.8 years) with skeletal Class III malocclusion and facial asymmetry who underwent conventional bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. Relative to the midsagittal plane used as the reference plane, the non-overlapping volume of the mandible significantly decreased, and the similarity index significantly increased after surgery. Similarity indexes of the mandible and lower facial soft tissue were strongly negatively correlated with non-overlapping volumes of each measurement. Differences in bilateral hemi-mandibular and hemi-lower facial soft tissue surface and volume measurements before surgery were significantly negatively correlated with similarity indexes of the mandible before and after surgery. This newly developed similarity index and non-overlapping volume using a mirroring technique can easily and intuitively evaluate overall 3D morphological discrepancies, especially 3D mandibular asymmetry, before and after surgery in skeletal Class III patients with facial asymmetry.

Introduction Maxillary sinus augmentation is a widely used surgical procedure to increase the bone volume before implant placement. In order to predict the stability of the implant, analysis of the change in bone volume and quality after a sinus graft procedure is necessary. The purpose of this study was to analyze the change in volume and quality of bone graft material after maxillary sinus augmentation using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods and materials Maxillary sinus lift procedures using bovine bone materials (Bio-Oss, Geistrich, Swiss) without immediate implantation were performed at the Pusan National University Dental Hospital in 22 patients, from 2014 to 2017. CBCT images were captured before surgery (T1), a day after surgery (T2), and after 4 to 7 months at follow-up (T3). The T2 and T3 images were registered to the T1 image using histogram matching and intensity-based registration. A total of 30 sinuses were analyzed three-dimensionally (3-D), using self-made software MATLAB 2018a (MathWorks, Natick, Massachusetts). The volume and structural indices of the bone graft material were measured and analyzed. Results The average volume of graft material showed a decrease, while the average gray value showed an increase during the follow-up period, but these changes were not statistically significant. The structural indices of the graft material after histogram matching showed a significant difference in homogeneity, connectivity, thickness, and roughness at the postoperative follow-up. Conclusions The volume and gray value showed no statistically significant changes after the maxillary sinus lift procedures. The results of this study show that structural analysis using histogram matching can be used as a promising tool to analyze the quality of graft materials.

Purpose This study investigated correlations between findings on panoramic radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) to assess the relationship between the maxillary sinus floor and the roots of maxillary posterior teeth. In addition, radiographic signs indicating actual root protrusion into the maxillary sinus were evaluated on panoramic radiographs. Materials and methods Paired panoramic radiographs and CBCT images from 305 subjects were analyzed. This analysis classified 2,440 maxillary premolars and molars according to their relationship with the maxillary sinus floor on panoramic radiographs and CBCT images. In addition, interruption of the sinus floor was examined on panoramic radiographs. Results Root protrusion into the maxillary sinus occurred most frequently in the mesiobuccal roots of the second molars. The classification according to panoramic radiographs and CBCT images was the same in more than 90% of cases when there was no contact between the root apex and the sinus floor. When the panoramic radiograph showed root protrusion into the sinus, the CBCT images showed the same classification in 67.5% of second molars, 48.8% of first molars, and 53.3% of second premolars. There was a statistically significant relationship between interruption of the sinus floor on panoramic radiographs and root protrusion into the sinus on CBCT images. Conclusion The presence of root protrusion into the sinus on panoramic radiographs demonstrated a moderate ability to predict root protrusion into the maxillary sinus. Interruption of the maxillary sinus floor could be considered an indicator of actual root protrusion into the maxillary sinus.

The development of pharmaceutical agents possessing anti‑invasive and anti‑metastatic abilities, as well as apoptotic activity, is important in decreasing the incidence and recurrence of oral cancer. Cancer cells are known to acquire invasiveness not only through epigenetic changes, but also from inflammatory stimuli within the tumor microenvironment. Accordingly, the identification of agents that can suppress the inflammation‑promoted invasiveness of cancer cells may be important in treating cancer and improving the prognosis of patients with cancer. Acetylshikonin, a flavonoid with anti‑inflammatory activity, inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of oral cancer cells. In the present study, the anti‑invasive effect of acetylshikonin on YD10B oral cancer cells infected with Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major pathogen of chronic periodontitis, and the mechanisms involved were investigated. Firstly, we examined whether P. gingivalis infection increased the invasiveness of YD10B cells. Results suggested that YD10B oral cancer cells become more aggressive when they are infected with P. gingivalis. Secondly, acetylshikonin significantly inhibited the invasion of P. gingivalis‑infected YD10B cells by suppressing IL‑8 release and IL‑8‑dependent MMP release. These data suggest that acetylshikonin may be a useful preventive and therapeutic candidate for oral cancer that is chronically infected with periodontal pathogens.

Structured Abstract Objectives This study aimed to determine the viability of using axial cervical vertebrae (ACV) as biological indicators of skeletal maturation and to build models that estimate ossification level with improved explanatory power over models based only on chronological age. Materials and Methods The study population comprised 74 female and 47 male patients with available hand-wrist radiographs and cone-beam computed tomography images. Generalized Procrustes analysis was used to analyze the shape, size, and form of the ACV regions of interest. The variabilities of these factors were analyzed by principal component analysis. Skeletal maturation was then estimated using a multiple regression model. Results Separate models were developed for male and female participants. For the female estimation model, the adjusted R2 explained 84.8% of the variability of the Sempe maturation level (SML), representing a 7.9% increase in SML explanatory power over that using chronological age alone (76.9%). For the male estimation model, the adjusted R2 was over 90%, representing a 1.7% increase relative to the reference model. Conclusions The simplest possible ACV morphometric information provided a statistically significant explanation of the portion of skeletal-maturation variability not dependent on chronological age. These results verify that ACV is a strong biological indicator of ossification status.

Purpose Artificial intelligence (AI), represented by deep learning, can be used for real-life problems and is applied across all sectors of society including medical and dental field. The purpose of this study is to review articles about deep learning that were applied to the field of oral and maxillofacial radiology. Materials and methods A systematic review was performed using Pubmed, Scopus, and IEEE explore databases to identify articles using deep learning in English literature. The variables from 25 articles included network architecture, number of training data, evaluation result, pros and cons, study object and imaging modality. Results Convolutional Neural network (CNN) was used as a main network component. The number of published paper and training datasets tended to increase, dealing with various field of dentistry. Conclusion Dental public datasets need to be constructed and data standardization is necessary for clinical application of deep learning in dental field.

Purpose This study evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of maxillary antroliths using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans performed for maxillofacial diagnostic purposes. Materials and Methods CBCT scans of 13,946 patients over the age of 20 were reviewed for maxillary antroliths, and prevalence according to sex, age, and the side of the jaw was calculated. The relationships of single or multiple antroliths with sex, side, and the degree of sinus inflammation were evaluated. The shape and dimension of antroliths were also assessed. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the chi-square or Fisher exact tests, and Kendall's tau-b. Results A total of 138 (0.99%) of the 13,946 patients showed an antrolith in at least 1 sinus. Only 18 patients presented a bilateral manifestation, which brought the total number of sinuses containing an antrolith to 156 (0.56%). Multiple antroliths were observed in 36 sinuses, and the total number of antroliths was 207: 110 punctate, 65 linear, and 32 amorphous. The antrolith dimensions varied from 1 mm2 to 91 mm2 (average, 10.2±15.5 mm2). No statistically significant differences were found according to sex, side, and age group (P>0.05). However, there was a statistically significant difference between the multiplicity of antrolith and the degree of sinus inflammation (P

측두하악장애를 주소로 하는 환자 276명에 대해 임상검사와 방사선검사를 시행하였다. 하악과두 저형성으로 진단된 189명의 실험군과 골관절염으로 진단된 87명의 대조군을 임상적으로 비교하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. 1. 하악 과두저형성은 골관절염과 임상적으로 많은 부분이 유사하였다. 2. 하악 과두저형성은 골관절염에 비하여 방사선적 진단부위와 통증부위의 일치율이 현저하게 낮았다. 3. 하악 과두저형성 양측이환군이 편측이환군에 비해 교합불편감 및 이악물기습관이 많았다. 4. 편측이환군 비교시 하악 과두저형성은 편측저작습관이 높았으며, 개구제한감을 더 많이 느꼈다. 골관절염은 아침의 불편감 및 두통을 많이 호소하였으며 진단부위와 단순관절음 일치율이 높았다. 5. 양측이환군 비교시 하악 과두저형성이 골관절염보다 평상시 두통을 더 많이 호소하였으며, 수평피개량도 컸다.

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of osteoarthritic changes and condylar positioning of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in Korean children and adolescents with or without temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Materials and Methods: A total of 101 asymptomatic and 181 symptomatic children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years old were included in the study. Osteoarthritic changes such as flattening, sclerosis, osteophytes, or erosion, and the parasagittal positioning of the condyle were assessed using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Results: The overall prevalence of osteoarthritic changes was higher in symptomatic (26.8%) than in asymptomatic adolescents (9.9%) (p⁄0.05). In the symptomatic group, the frequency was higher in males (33.3%) than in females (23.0%) (p⁄0.05). Erosion was the most common change for the symptomatic group (15.6%), whereas sclerosis was the most common change for the asymptomatic group (5.4%). Posterior condylar position was more frequently observed in the symptomatic group (p⁄0.05). Erosion was more common in the samples with TMJ pain or mouth opening limitations as compared to those without them (p⁄0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that osteoarthritic changes in TMJ were common in children and adolescents, with a much higher prevalence in symptomatic patients. (Imaging Sci Dent 2012; 42 : 169-74)

The aim of the present study was to use cone-beam computed tomography volume superimposition to investigate the effect of bimaxillary orthognathic surgery on condylar head remodeling.Using a retrospective study design, 2 investigators evaluated the cone-beam computed tomography data of subjects who had undergone Le Fort I osteotomy and mandibular setback surgery. The predictor variable was time, grouped as preoperative versus postoperative. The outcome variables were the measurement changes of the condylar heads and the distribution of the condylar head remodeling signs. Paired t and χ(2) tests were performed for the purposes of the 2-dimensional metric analysis and the condylar head remodeling distribution. P.05 was considered significant.The sample was composed of 22 adults (11 men and 11 women, age 20.3 ± 3.2 years) diagnosed with skeletal Class III malocclusion. The intra- and interoperator reliabilities of the image interpretation showed substantial agreement, according to Cohen's kappa index. The condylar heights on the sagittal and coronal planes decreased after surgery. Bone resorption occurred predominantly in the anterior and superior areas on the sagittal plane, the superior and lateral areas on the coronal plane, and the anterolateral and posterolateral areas on the axial plane (P.05). Bone formation was apparent only in the anteromedial area on the axial plane (P.05).Bimaxillary orthognathic surgery caused a decrease in the condylar heights and condylar head remodeling. The cone-beam computed tomography volume superimposition method showed that the condylar head had undergone remodeling after bimaxillary surgery.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate nasal morphologic and maxillary skeletal changes occurring after bimaxillary surgery in skeletal class III patients, using a new method entailing superimposition of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) volumes.The subjects consisted of 30 adults (15 males and 15 females) who had presented with skeletal class III deformities. The subjects underwent Le Fort I advancement and impaction osteotomy and mandibular setback surgery. For closure of the maxillary vestibular incision, alar cinch suture and V-Y closure were performed. The pre- and post-operative CBCT data were superimposed and evaluated by voxel-by-voxel registration.After surgery, the nasolabial angle, nasal tip angle, nasal tip inclination and columellar angle showed significant increases (P 0.01). The nasal tip protrusion and nasal height, meanwhile, had significantly decreased (P 0.01), and the alar base width had increased (P 0.01). The columellar length and nostril axis angle also had decreased, but the nostril area did not show any significant change.After surgery, as the maxilla had been moved upward and forward, the nasal tip was shifted antero-superiorly and the alar base width and nostrils were widened. CBCT superimposition, enabling 3D assessment of nasal morphologic changes, can be an effective tool for simultaneous measurement of skeletal and soft-tissue changes.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the volumetric change of the upper airway space in 36 Class III patients who had undergone bimaxillary surgery or isolated mandibular setback, and, further, to analyse the relation between post-surgical stability and airway change using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). A three-dimensional (3D) CBCT examination was performed at three stages: T0 (before surgery), T1 (an average of 4.6 months after surgery), and T2 (an average of 1.4 years after surgery). The results showed that the volumes of the oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal airways decreased significantly 4.6 months post-surgery in the mandibular setback group (p

Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the changes of the condylar axis, the anteroposterior condylar position relative to the glenoid fossa, and post–2-jaw surgery stability. Study design All of the patients (12 male, 14 female) were assessed by cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) before surgery, after surgery, and at follow-up. CBCT images were referenced to assess skeletal stability, the condylar axis change, and the anteroposterior condylar position in the glenoid fossa. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (P = .05) also was performed. Results The skeletal changes between postsurgery and follow-up (P < .05) were insignificant. Both the axial condylar angles and the anteroposterior condylar position significantly differed among the groups (P < .05). Conclusions After surgery, the coronal condylar axis was rotated inward. The anteroposterior condylar position in the glenoid fossa had moved from the anterior to the concentric position, tending to return slightly toward the original position. These changes did not negatively affect the stability.

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the patient- and treatment-related etiologic factors of external root resorption. Materials and Methods : This study consisted of 163 patients who had completed orthodontic treatments and taken the pre- and post-treatment panoramic and lateral cephalometric radiographs. The length of tooth was measured from the tooth apex to the incisal edge or cusp tip on the panoramic radiograph. Overbite and overjet were measured from the pre- and post-treatment lateral cephalometric radiographs. The root resorption of each tooth and the factors of malocclusion were analyzed with an analysis of variance. A paired t test was performed to compare the mean amount of root resorption between male and female, between extraction and non-extraction cases, and between surgery and non-surgery groups. Correlation coefficients were measured to assess the relationship between the amount of root resorption and the age in which the orthodontic treatment started, the degree of changes in overbite and overjet, and the duration of treatment. Results : Maxillary central incisor was the most resorbed tooth, followed by the maxillary lateral incisor, the mandibular central incisor, and the mandibular lateral incisor. The history of tooth extraction was significantly associated with the root resorption. The duration of orthodontic treatment was positively correlated with the amount of root resorption. Conclusion : These findings show that orthodontic treatment should be carefully performed in patients who need the treatment for a long period and with a pre-treatment extraction of teeth. (Imaging Sci Dent 2011; 41 : 17-21)

Purpose The aim of this study was to compare the location and the shape of the mandibular lingula in skeletal class I and III patients using panoramic radiography and cone-beam computed tomography. Materials and methods The sample group included 190 skeletal class I patients and 157 class III patients. The location of the lingula in relation to the deepest point of the coronoid notch was classified into 3 types using panoramic radiographs. The shapes of the lingulae were classified into nodular, triangular, truncated, or assimilated types using cone-beam computed tomographic images. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test. Results The tips of the lingulae were at the same level as the coronoid notch in 75.3% of skeletal class I patients and above the coronoid notch in 66.6% of class III patients. The positions of the lingulae in relation to the deepest point of the coronoid notch showed statistically significant differences between class I and class III patients. The most common shape was nodular, and the least common was the assimilated shape. Although this trend was not statistically significant, the triangular shape was more frequently observed in class III patients than in class I patients. Conclusion The locations and the shapes of the mandibular lingulae were variable. Most of the lingulae were at the same level as the coronoid notch in skeletal class I patients and above the coronoid notch in skeletal class III patients. The nodular and assimilated-shaped lingulae were the most and the least prevalent, respectively.

A diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) laser emitting at 473 nm was used to test its influence on the degree of polymerization of composite resins. Eight composite resins were chosen and light cured with three different light-curing systems [a quartz-tungsten-halogen (QTH) lamp-based unit, a light-emitting diode (LED) unit, and a DPSS laser]. Polymerization shrinkage and color change in specimens were measured. According to the statistical analysis, each light-curing system produced a significantly different value of maximum polymerization shrinkage. In most specimens, the DPSS laser induced the least polymerization shrinkage. After being immersed in distilled water for 10 days, specimens light-cured by the DPSS laser had undergone less color change than those cured by the other units. In conclusion, the DPSS laser induced better or similar polymerization in terms of polymerization shrinkage and color change in composite resins compared with those of the QTH lamp-based and LED units.

Objective To see if a method for digitizing trabecular pattern of bone could be used to quantitatively evaluate changes in bone pattern following endodontic treatment of teeth with periapical osteolytic lesions. Study design Periapical radiographs were digitized and further processed with mathematical morphology operations known as skeletonization. The trabecular patterns resulting from this skeletonization process were further analyzed with fractal dimension analysis using box-counting. Results The periapical area in digitized radiographic images showed fractal behavior. Twenty-five of 27 patients showed increase of the fractal dimension after root canal treatment. Significant changes of the box-counting could be noted 3 months after root canal treatment ( P Conclusions Mathematical morphology operation and box-counting might be helpful in early detection of changes of periapical trabecular pattern after root canal treatment.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to measure the buccal bone thickness and angulation of the maxillary incisors and to analyze the correlation between these parameters and the root position in the alveolar bone using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and methods CBCT images of 398 maxillary central and lateral incisors from 199 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The root position in the alveolar bone was classified as buccal, middle, or palatal, and the buccal type was further classified into subtypes I, II, and III. In addition, the buccolingual inclination of the tooth and buccal bone thickness were evaluated. Results A majority of the maxillary incisors were positioned more buccally within the alveolar bone, and only 2 lateral incisors (0.5%) were positioned more palatally. The angulation of buccal subtype III was the greatest and that of the middle type was the lowest. Most of the maxillary incisors exhibited a thin facial bone wall, and the lateral incisors had a significantly thinner buccal bone than the central incisors. The buccal bone of buccal subtypes II and III was significantly thinner than that of buccal subtype I. Conclusion A majority of the maxillary incisor roots were positioned close to the buccal cortical plate and had a thin buccal bone wall. Significant relationships were observed between the root position in the alveolar bone, the angulation of the tooth in the alveolar bone, and buccal bone thickness. CBCT analyses of the buccal bone and sagittal root position are recommended for the selection of the appropriate treatment approach.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of missing and impacted third molars in people aged 25 years and above. Materials and Methods: The study sample of 3,799 patients was chosen randomly from patients who visited Pusan National University Dental Hospital and had panoramic radiographs taken. The data collected included presence and impaction state, angulation, and depth of impaction of third molars, and radiographically detected lesions of third molars and adjacent second molars. Results: A greater percentage of men than women retained at least one third molar. The incidence of third molars decreased with increasing age. The incidence of partially impacted third molars greatly declined after the age of 30. Vertically impacted maxillary third molars and horizontally impacted mandibular third molars were most frequent in all age groups. Among the maxillary third molars, those impacted below the cervical line of the second molar were most frequent in all age groups, and among the mandibular third molars, deeply impacted third molars were most frequent in those aged over 40. Dental caries was the most common radiographic lesion of the third molars. Mesioangularly impacted third molars showed radiographic lesions in 13 (9.5%) adjacent maxillary second molars and 117 (27.4%) mandibular second molars. Conclusion: The number of remaining third molars decreased and the percentage of Class C depth increased with age. Caries was the most frequent lesion in third molars. Partially impacted mesioangular third molars showed a high incidence of caries or periodontal bone loss of the adjacent second molar. Regular oral examination will be essential to keep asymptomatic third molars in good health. (Imaging Sci Dent 2013; 43 : 219-25)

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the radiographic features associated with impacted premaxillary supernumerary teeth, to determine the relationship between their characteristics and their effects on permanent incisors, and to investigate the types of orthodontic treatment that patients received after the extraction of impacted supernumerary teeth. Materials and Methods The clinical records and radiographs of 193 patients whose impacted premaxillary supernumerary teeth were removed were retrospectively reviewed, and 241 impacted supernumerary teeth were examined. Cone-beam computed tomographic images and panoramic radiographs were examined to determine the number, location, sagittal position, orientation, and morphology of the supernumerary teeth. Their effects on permanent incisors and the orthodontic treatment received by patients after the extraction of the supernumeraries were also investigated. Results Supernumerary teeth were most frequently observed in the central incisor region, in the palatal position, in the inverted orientation, and were most commonly conical in shape. The most common complication was median diastema, followed by displacement and delayed eruption of the adjacent incisors. Ten (71.4%) of the 14 odontomas showed delayed eruption of the adjacent incisors. Displacement of the incisors was more frequently observed in association with supernumerary teeth with tuberculate or supplemental shapes. Orthodontic traction was most frequently performed after the removal of odontomas. In 32 cases (13.3%), permanent incisors erupted after the orthodontic creation of sufficient space. Conclusion Median diastema was most common complication. The delayed eruption of incisors was common in supernumerary teeth with a vertical orientation and an odontoma shape.

Purpose: This study was performed to determine the prevalence of bifid mandibular condyles (BMCs) in asymptomatic and symptomatic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) subjects with no traumatic history, and to assess their impact on clinical and radiographic manifestations of TMJ. Materials and Methods: A total of 3,046 asymptomatic and 4,378 symptomatic patients were included in the study. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were reviewed for bifid condyles. T-tests were used to compare the frequency of BMCs when stratified by symptom, gender, and side. In BMC patients, the clinical features of pain and noise, osseous changes, and parasagittal positioning of the condyles were compared between the normally shaped condyle side and the BMC side using chi-squared tests. Results: Fifteen (0.49%) asymptomatic and 22 (0.50%) symptomatic patients were found to have BMCs. Among the bilateral cases, the number of condyles were 19 (0.31%) and 25 (0.29%), respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients, between female and male patients, or between the right and left sides (p¤0.05). Compared with the normally shaped condyle side, the BMC side showed no statistically significant differences in the distribution of pain and noise, parasagittal condylar position, or condylar osseous changes, with the exception of osteophytes. In the symptomatic group, osteophytes were found more frequently on the normally shaped condyle side than the BMC side (p⁄0.05). Conclusion: BMCs tended to be identified as an incidental finding. The presence of BMC would not lead to any TMJ symptoms or cause osseous changes. (Imaging Sci Dent 2013; 43 : 25-30)

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of measurements from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-generated frontal cephalogram. Materials and methods CBCT and conventional posteroanterior (PA) cephalograms were taken from 30 adult patients. CBCT image was set according to the Frankfurt-Horizontal (FH) plane as the horizontal plane and the midsagittal reference (MSR) plane. The CBCT frontal cephalograms were generated using the orthogonal Raycast method (group CT raycast ), the orthogonal maximum intensity projection (MIP) method (group CT MIP ) after the head reorientation according to the reference planes, and the generator tool provided by the employed 3-dimensional (3D) imaging software (group CT generator ), respectively. The differences between the CBCT-generated frontal cephalograms and conventional PA cephalograms (group PA ceph ) were compared by paired t -test ( p Results The significant differences were shown in two measurements for group CT raycast , in 12 measurements for group CT MIP , and in eight measurements for group CT generator . It was confirmed that the CBCT frontal cephalograms, generated by means of the Raycast method (Group CT raycast ), were more comparable to the conventional PA cephalograms in their measurements than were the others (Groups CT MIP , CT generator ). Conclusion This study may well suggest that frontal cephalograms derived by 3D CBCT reorientation can be effectively employed in clinical applications.

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of dental students in detection of mandibular condyle fractures and the effectiveness of reference panoramic images. Materials and Methods : Forty-six undergraduates evaluated 25 panoramic radiographs for condylar fractures and the data were analyzed through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. After a month, they were divided into two homogeneous groups based on the first results and re-evaluated the images with (group A) or without (group B) reference images. Eight reference images included indications showing either typical condylar fractures or anatomic structures which could be confused with fractures. Paired t-test was used for statistical analysis of the difference between the first and the second evaluations for each group, and student’s t-test was used between the two groups in the second evaluation. The intra- and inter-observer agreements were evaluated with Kappa statistics. Results : Intra- and inter-observer agreements were substantial (k=0.66) and moderate (k=0.53), respectively. The area under the ROC curve (Az) in the first evaluation was 0.802. In the second evaluation, it was increased to 0.823 for group A and 0.814 for group B. The difference between the first and second evaluations for group A was statistically significant (p⁄0.05), however there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the second evaluation. Conclusion : Providing reference images to less experienced clinicians would be a good way to improve the diagnostic ability in detecting condylar fracture. (Imaging Sci Dent 2011; 41 : 53-7)

We exploit the development of a clinical computed microtomography (micro-CT) system for dental imaging. While the conventional dental CT simply serves implant treatment, the clinical dental micro-CT may provide clinicians with a histologic evaluation. To investigate the feasibility of the realization of a dental micro-CT, we have constructed an experimental test system which mainly consists of a microfocus x-ray source, a rotational subject holder, and a flat-panel detector. The flat-panel detector is based on a matrix-addressed photodiode array coupled to a CsI:Tl scintillator. The detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of the detector was measured as a function of magnification based on the measured modulation-transfer function (MTF) and noise-power spectrum (NPS). The best MTF and DQE performances were achieved at the magnification factor of 3. Similar tendency of the spatial resolving power in tomography was also observed with a wire phantom having a 25 μm diameter. From the investigation of tomographs reconstructed from a humanoid skull phantom, the application of magnification in the system largely reduced both signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for a fixed dose at the entrance surface of the detector, 1.2 mGy, while this setup increased the dose at the object plane from 4.7 mGy to 19.1 mGy for the magnification factor from 2 to 4, respectively. Although the quantum mottles at the high magnification factor tackled the practical use in the clinic, the information contained in the magnified CT images was quite promising.

Purpose : This study investigated maxillary third molars and their relation to the maxillary sinus using panoramic radiography and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) Materials and Methods : A total of 395 maxillary third molars in 234 patients were examined using panoramic radiographs and CBCT images. We examined the eruption level of the maxillary third molars, the available retromolar space, the angulation, the relationship to the second molars, the number of roots, and the relationship between the roots and the sinus. results : Females had a higher frequency of maxillary third molars with occlusal planes apical to the cervical line of the second molar (Level C) than males. All third molars with insufficient retromolar space were Level C. The most common angulation was vertical, followed by buccoangular. Almost all of the Level C molars were in contact with the roots of the second molar. Erupted teeth most commonly had three roots, and completely impacted teeth most commonly had one root. The superimposition of one third of the root and the sinus floor was most commonly associated with the sinus floor being located on the buccal side of the root. conclusion : Eruption levels were differently distributed according to gender. A statistically significant association was found between the eruption level and the available retromolar space. When panoramic radiographs showed a superimposition of the roots and the sinus floor, expansion of the sinus to the buccal side of the root was generally observed in CBCT images. (Imaging Sci Dent 2015; 45: 233-40)

Purpose This study investigated the developmental stages of third molars in relation to chronological age and compared third molar development according to location and gender. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of panoramic radiographs of 2490 patients aged between 6 and 24 years was conducted, and the developmental stages of the third molars were evaluated using the modified Demirjian's classification. The mean age, standard deviation, minimal and maximal age, and percentile distributions were recorded for each stage of development. A Mann-Whitney U test was performed to test the developmental differences in the third molars between the maxillary and mandibular arches and between genders. A linear regression analysis was used for assessing the correlation between the third molar development and chronological age. Results The developmental stages of the third molars were more advanced in the maxillary arch than the mandibular arch. Males reached the developmental stages earlier than females. The average age of the initial mineralization of the third molars was 8.57 years, and the average age at apex closure was 21.96 years. The mean age of crown completion was 14.52 and 15.04 years for the maxillary and the mandibular third molars, respectively. Conclusion The developmental stages of the third molars clearly showed a strong correlation with age. The third molars developed earlier in the upper arch than the lower arch; further, they developed earlier in males than in females.

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the course of the mandibular canal on panoramic radiography and the visibility of this canal on both panoramic radiography and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: The study consisted of panoramic radiographs and CBCT images from 262 patients. The course of the mandibular canal, as seen in panoramic radiographs, was classified into four types: linear, elliptical, spoon-shaped, and turning curves. The visibility of this canal from the first to the third molar region was evaluated by visually determining whether the mandibular canal was clearly visible, probably visible, or invisible. The visibihlity of the canal on panoramic radiographs was compared with that on CBCT images. Results: Elliptical curves were most frequently observed along the course of the mandibular canal. The percentage of clearly visible mandibular canals was the highest among the spoon-shaped curves and the lowest among the linear curves. On panoramic radiographs, invisible mandibular canals were found in 22.7% of the examined sites in the first molar region, 11.8% in the second molar region, and 1.3% in the third molar region. On CBCT cross-sectional images, the mandibular canal was invisible in 8.2% of the examined sites in the first molar region, 5.7% in the second molar region, and 0.2% in the third molar region. Conclusion: The visibility of this canal was lower in the first molar region than in the third molar region. The mandibular canal presented better visibility on CBCT images than on panoramic radiographs. (Imaging Sci Dent 2014; 44: 273-8)