Comparative study between conventional and digital radiography in cephalometric analysis Estudo comparativo entre radiografia convencional e digital na análise cefalométrica

Objective – Technological improvement is usually followed by comparisons between conventional and new. Those who work with radiographic assessment, such as cephalometric analysis for orthodontic diagnosis, have been living a new challenging and learning phase since the introduction of digital images. It is possible to obtain reproducible and clear images with digital radiography, but radiography printing is still a necessity for teaching purposes. The aim of this study was to compare cephalometric analysis performed on conventional radiography and on digitized and printed radiography. Methods – Eleven lateral cephalometric radiographies were taken from different patients, digitized by scanner and printed on transparent proper paper. Ricketts cephalometric analysis was performed on conventional radiographies and on digitized-and-printed radiographies. Results – After statistical analysis, it was found that there were no significant differences between printed and conventional radiography. High correlation between the techniques was found for LAFH, EF, PF and PM; while moderate correlation was found for MA. Conclusion – Digital radiography acquired with indirect method, when properly printed, presents satisfactory results for cephalometric analysis. Descriptors: Cephalometry; Radiography image enhancement; Radiography, dental/methods