Comparison of transverse analysis between posteroanterior cephalogram and cone-beam computed tomography

Objectives: To evaluate maxillary and mandibular alveolar and basal bone widths using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and to verify the correlation between CBCT images and posteroanterior (PA) cephalograms. Materials and Methods: The CBCT scans and PA cephalograms were obtained from 20 men (age range = 24.0-29.1 years; mean age = 27.2 years; SD = 2.8 years) and 20 women (age range = 20.3-28.1 years; mean age = 26.4 years; SD = 3.2 years) with normal occlusion. On CBCT images, maxillary and mandibular bone widths were measured at three posterior sites and five bone levels. The differences between maxillary and mandibular bone widths were calculated and compared with conventional transverse width of PA cephalograms. Results: Statistically significant differences in maxillary and mandibular bone widths were detected at different levels and sites. Bone widths were significantly increased from the alveolar crest toward the basal bone in the maxillary molar and mandibular second premolar and molar areas. A statistically significant correlation was only found between CBCT images and PA cephalograms for maxillomandibular width at the first molar area. Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that three-dimensional assessment of maxillomandibular width is mandatory for the transverse analysis.