QUANTIFICATION OF INTRA OSSEOUS BONE DEFECTS BY CONVENTIONAL VERSUS 3DIMENSIONAL IMAGING TECHNIQUES - AN IN VIVO STUDY.

Background:- The aim of this prospective cross sectional study was to determine the accuracy of CBCT in quantifying intra-osseous periodontal bone defects. Methods:- 5 patients with intra-bony defects were selected and 10 defects were assessed. A total of 60 measurements were performed.Periapical radiographs and Cone beam CT scan images were obtained. Height and depth of each defects was measured using appropriate software. Direct measurements were done during surgical interventions using a periodontal probe and were considered the standard reference. Measurements made by all three modalities were compared to each other. Results:- Linear measurements for all defects revealed no statistical differences between CBCT and direct intra-surgical measurements with respect to the height as well as the depth of the defect. There was a significant difference when comparing peri-apical radiographs to the other two methods. IOPA measurements were only 74.3% accurate as compared to the standard intra-surgical whereas the CBCT measurements were 86.5%. Conclusion:- All three modalities proved to be useful for identifying interproximal periodontal defect but CBCT took the lead with better accuracy in reproducing the clinical measurement of intra-bony periodontal bone defects and better visualization of the extent of the defect.