Cephalometric Analysis Using Three-Dimensional Imaging System

The need for data collection and record keeping in the branch of orthodontics cannot be overemphasized. With the advent of digitization, three-dimensional (3D) imaging has become an integral part of the diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up of orthodontic patients. The human face comprises the craniofacial complex and the overlying soft tissue cover, making it a complicated yet harmonious system. Two-dimensional (2D) assessment is unable to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the craniofacial complex, necessitating a 3D acquisition of the data. 3D imaging enables the clinician to understand the underlying structures and their relation to one another, which aids in accurate diagnosis and, in turn, the most appropriate treatment. However, normative data in orthodontics to date is based on the 2D lateral and frontal cephalograms, and the various analyses used to infer a case are still in use. Therefore, 3D cephalometric analyses are being developed to aid 3D imaging. This chapter sheds light on the application of cephalometric analysis in clinical practice using the 3D imaging system.