Accuracy of mandibular measurements of sexual dimorphism using stabilizer equipment

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to compare the accuracy of mandibular measurements using a stabilizer (MS) with gold standard computed tomography (GS) images. Sixty mandibles were studied. Werth TomoScope HV Compact® was used to obtain CT images (GS), and the MS was also used. Analysis of the CT scans was performed using the VG Studio Max software® (Volume Graphics GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany), and MS was used after the proper positioning of the mandible. Descriptive and paired t test measures were used, and a ROC curve was calculated, as well as sensibility and specificity. MedCalc and STATA 13.0® were used (95% level of significance). Bicondylar breadth, bicoronoid breadth and minimum ramus breadth reached the highest concordance correlation coefficients at 0.99 (0.99-1.00), 0.99 (0.99-1.00) and 1.00 (0.99-1.00), respectively. Comparing observers with GS, the lowest accuracy was noted for the maximum mandibular length [0.59 (0.45-0.69), 0.64 (0.51-0.74)], the breadth of the right (0.14 (0.04-0.23), 0.14 (0.004-0.24)) and left mandibular body [0.14 (0.03-0.24), 0.16 (0.05-0.26)], and the right [0.58 (0.45-0.69), 0.63 (0.51-0.73) and left (0.59 (0.45-0.70), 0.59 (0.46-0.69)] mandibular angle. Various measurements exhibited good sensibility for males using MS: maximum mandibular length (78.12), bicondylar breadth (78.12), left mandibular notch breadth (84.37), and the left height of the mandibular body at the mental foramen (75.00). High specificity in discriminating females was observed for the left maximal ramus height (85.19), mandibular length (85.71), bicoronoid breadth (96.43), right height of the mandibular body at the mental foramen (82.19), bimental breadth (78.57), breadth right (92.86) and left (96.43) mandibular body, minimum ramus breadth (89.29), and left mandibular angle (85.71). MS was able to discriminate sexual dimorphism.