Accuracy of Linear Measurements of Ultra-low Dose Cone Beam Computed Tomography and Digital Panoramic Radiography Performed on Mandibular Anaesthetic Landmarks Versus Real Mandibular Measurements

Mandibular anaesthetic landmarks will be identified on each dry mandible and will be marked using gutta percha.

The ten human dry mandibles will be submitted for:

1. Digital Panoramic Radiography. Panoramic radiographs will be obtained using the SOREDEX CRANEX™ 3Dx unit. The exposure parameters will be 8Ma, 63kVp and 16.4 sec exposure time.
2. Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). SOREDEX CRANEX™ 3Dx unit will be used in this study. Images will be acquired at a single rotation. SOREDEX® MiniDose parameters will be used. The exposure parameters will be 3.2 Ma, 90kVp and 2.3 sec exposure time to take the advantage of 3D data in dose sensitive cases like children, or reduce the radiation dose for the patient.

The real linear measurements will be measured in millimeter on dry mandibles using digital caliper and will be compared with measurements obtained from both techniques.

Images will be evaluated by two experienced radiologists of ten years of experience. Each one will evaluate the images separately twice with a period of two weeks in-between the two reading sessions. The researcher will measure out the real linear measurements on the dry mandibles using digital caliper.