Estimating Molar Root Volume from Panoramic Radiographs Using a Geometric Approach—An Experimental Method Comparison
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Evaluating jaw augmentation procedures usually necessitates pre- and postoperative tomographic imaging. Ethical considerations emphasize minimizing radiation exposure. Given that panoramic radiographs (PR, 2D) offer a lower radiation dose compared to con...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/7/1261 |
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| Summary: | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: Evaluating jaw augmentation procedures usually necessitates pre- and postoperative tomographic imaging. Ethical considerations emphasize minimizing radiation exposure. Given that panoramic radiographs (PR, 2D) offer a lower radiation dose compared to cone-beam CT (CBCT, 3D), this study explores the feasibility of estimating tooth root volume from PR, potentially allowing safer clinical assessments with reduced radiation exposure. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: To develop a mathematical approximation method, the 2D tooth root surface in PR was defined as an elliptical model and a cuboid (3D). The true root volume (mm<sup>3</sup>) was gathered from CBCTs. The missing link for tooth root volume assessment in 2D radiographs is the depth of the root (vestibulo-oral dimension). It was hypothesized that the tooth root surface and its volume are related. A correlation factor “r” corresponding to the tooth roots’ depths was then calculated. Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed (<i>p</i> < 0.05). <i>Results</i>: The mathematical model was performed on 27 molars with an average volume of 472.83 mm<sup>3</sup> (±130.25–CBCT). The factor “r” (obtained by dividing the true root volume from CBCT by the total root surface from PR) was computed as 8.04 (±1.90). Using “r” for the volume calculation in the cuboid model, an average volume of 472.37 (±152.92) for the 27 molars was computed. These volumes did not differ significantly. <i>Conclusions</i>: This study demonstrates that a mathematical model using elliptical projections from panoramic radiographs reliably estimates molar root volume, yielding comparable results to CBCT while reducing radiation exposure. |
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| ISSN: | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |